Sunday, February 3, 2008

Tribe Matters

Betty Kamya, an FDC MP opens up the debate on tribe by questioning the allegiance of Museveni to Uganda peoples due to his alleged foreign birth. She sees the unrests now prevailing in Kenya as having a poignant similarity to what might happen to Uganda as Mr. Muesveni’s ethnic group dominates in all areas of commerce, government and the military.

So, what is up with this tribe thing? In the US the use of the word “tribe” often connotes a derogatory tone to describe a people who are less “advanced” in relation to the western notion of social, economic and political development. This is even when the behaviors of Americans portray what are often characterized as tribal.

When you rout for your home team, you are tribal
When you vote for white presidents only, you are tribal
When you go to exclusive white churches, you are tribal
When you live in lily white neighborhoods, you are tribal
When you go to white schools by design, you are tribal
When you employ only whites in your business, you are tribal
When you frown on your daughter marrying outside your whiteness, you are tribal

Until we all become saints in this world, tribal affiliations and feelings will continue to matter in our affairs. If we have power, we will continue to be partial to the interests of our tribe. The question is: how can this anecdotal innate tribal bias be contained so that it doesn’t go overboard to the detriment of society that houses the various tribes?

Realistically, the first step is for the economy to be expanded such that it overwhelms the basic needs of all. Secondly, there should be continued emphasis on the entrenchment of democratic principles. Sooner or later we will see the quirks of the different tribes as adding to the tapestry and beauty of our lives rather than something that takes away from us and diminishes us.

No comments: