Kenya's cohesion team denounces tribal alliances

Written By:Rosalia Omungo/KNA,    Posted: Tue, Feb 01, 2011

NCIC Chairperson Mzalendo Kibunja

The National Cohesion Commission has denounced political alliances based on tribal groupings.

NCIC Chairperson Mzalendo Kibunja however says  the commission at this point cannot categorize KKK tag associated with Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto as hate speech.  

He added that they were looking for evidence to prove if the Kikuyu Kalenjin and Kamba grouping is a tribal alliance.

Kibunjia appealed to the media to work closely with the commission to identify information that will prove the association as an ethnic outfit saying that the Commission will not advocate for ethnic mobilization.

Kibunjia said that the commission has to listen to both the complainant and the accused persons because of the thin legal threshold governing the act. 

Speaking in Nairobi Tuesday morning, Kibunjia announced that the commission will begin monitoring public rallies to reign in on those violating the law.

Kibunja however says the commission needs time to decide on KKK, as the objectives of the association or minutes thereof, are not available.

"That's why we are saying , we want to know the objective of the meeting , get some information , so that we can determine whether it is illegal or not,". Once we have listened to everybody, we will issue a report .It is unprofessional that everytime you have a complaint, you rush to conclude on the matter , before you have all the information",  said Kibunja

He added that ethnic political association was not desirable for this country since this is what led to the eruption of the 2007-2008 post election violence that claimed thousands of lives and loss of property.

"Any ethnic association with the sole objective of excluding and isolating others with selfish interest of rising into power will not be met well by the Commission," said Kibunja.

NCIC urged the media to continue highlighting issues such as social injustices, corruption in high offices among other vices for this was the only way of installing confidence among the public. 

The KKK alliance has been accused of being an association meant to exclude others.  Kalonzo and Uhuru Kenyatta last week separately petitioned the Commission to veto the use of the term 'KKK' saying it is divisive and depicts them as tribalists.

Mr Kenyatta in his letter asked NCIC chairman to inform the country that the continued use of the KKK tag was against national unity, cohesion and integration. 

Mr Kalonzo said his rights had been violated by those associating him with tribalism.

The KKK alliance, loosely translated to a political union between the Kalenjin, the Kikuyu and the Kamba tribes, is seen as a vehicle seeking to field a candidate in next year's presidential election.