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A report by Kenya's leading newspaper, Daily Nation has exposed how the political rivalry between President Uhuru Kenyatta and National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has left Kenyans living in the diaspora divided.
Views collected by the newspaper from a number of Kenyans in abroad painted an exact picture of the current political differences im the country among Jubilee and Nasa supporters.
Stephanie Mugure and John Omogo (First names changed to conceal true identity) met for the first time in 2014 during new-hires training in one of the companies in Delaware.
Mugure was born and brought up in Nyeri County and entered US to attend a college at Goldey-Beacom in New Castle County, Delaware in 2013, while Omogo hails from Homa Bay County and relocated to the US seven years ago on a diversity Visa programme well known as the Green Card.
After the training, Mugure and Omogo were deployed in the same department, but on different shifts.
Being colleagues for years, the two developed a "very close" relationship.
However, their close ties took a turn in the run-up to the August 8th elections and the fresh presidential election. Mugure says their talks transformed to "heated" exchanges about President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
"Omogo believes Kikuyus, and especially Uhuru, always steal Raila’s (Mr Odinga’s) elections victory. I don’t believe that’s true," Mugure tells Nation's Chris Wamalwa.
On the other side, Omogo believes Mugure has a problem: "It’s very hard to debate with Mugure because every time the name Raila comes up, she freezes! She believes Raila is a trouble-maker whose aim is to cause chaos in Kenya."
It is assumed that exposure to diverse worldviews and culture the Kenyan Diaspora community would somehow change their thinking beyond ethnic, religious and cultural sensibilities. However, the two election exposed that this group of Kenyans still remain trapped in tribal cocoons.
"There’s something about Kenyan politics that evokes deep mistrust among most Kenyans living abroad."
"Instead of being united by mutual issues of interest such as the need for the government at home to implement their constitutional right to vote and institutionalizing organised systems, most Kenyans living abroad become completely disarmed by tribal politics," Jack Ambuka, a Kenyan resident of New Jersey, said.
Ambuka agrees the ethnic hatred was manifested even more im the ongoing electioneering period.
"I have heard cases where long-lasting friendships have been discontinued, marriages broken and colleagues threatening to expose the legal statuses of their compatriots simply because they disagreed on whom between Uhuru and Raila should be president," Ambuka said.
Ephraim Mwaura, a Kenyan politician who hails from Nakuru County and currently living in Toronto, Canada narrates of the same experience.
"What I have experienced is extremist tribal bigotry and exhibition of incredibly naive and parochial view of what is best for our nation."
Comments
Mugi. DIASPORANS have the "Freedom of Speech" to AGREE to DISAGREE just like we do here on Mwakilishi. Also: Diasporans have NO Enough Time for a Blatantly RIGGED Country like Kenya. Even some have Doubles and even Tripples to do (with No Time to Waste on Kenyan Politics).
Most of us have the same aspirations for kenya just like you in Kenya, the continued stealing of elections can not be left unchallenged. Other communities must have the opportunity to lead kenya just like kikuyus and kales have, anything short of that will force the country to be divided into two countries.
INSHAALAH.
@Mbingu. Nobody is denying other communities to rule Kenya. Somebody has to come up with a message that will be appealing to all Kenyans to win the election if he comes from the minor tribes. Raila cannot be playing the same script of tribalism that has failed time and again and expect to win. That formula will not work if you come from a minor tribe. Get a message that will wow everybody the way Obama did. Mutua and Sonko can be able to do that since they to not seems to play tribal formula.
Kenya. Correct. And Raila had the Message Appeal and he Won: In 2007, 2013, and 2017.
Fake Joshua add all the absent votes to himself that why he claims he has won 2007, 2013, 2017 & 2022. His message is based on tribal formula of 43-2 or 42-1 which has not worked. If they continue to use that formula they will not see the president coming from small micro-nation in the next 100 yrs. Jubilee has more governors, Senators, Mpigs, Women rep & MCA than NASA. It no-brainer fake Joshua was defeated on 8th and he know that
Am a Kenyan in the US and am not Luo or Kikuyu.
To be honest, there is a problem.
When Jubilee supporters hear the name Raila they react like they have been possesed by a demon.
They are intolerant and I personally cannot be associated with people filled with intolerance and hate.
I quit a part-time job that I was working with a Kikuyu friend of mine because,I could not listen to her hate-filled lies about Raila.I just told them my schedule changed.
They called me to go back,sijui they will work with my schedule,ati they miss me,I refused.
I can't be friends with hate-filled Kenyans they may infect me with their hate.
Am not going to any events organized by Jubilee supporters.
They are hate-filled and intolerant.
Doreen. Good way forward. I remember recommending a Kenyan Kikuyu Lady to come and work for the company I was working for. Before I knew it she would come to work and "Not even say Hi to me". She turned out to be "The Angel I didn't know". I QUIT; and whenever I would meet her out there: No saying Hi to me. Just her Enjoying the Job I Helped Her Get. Reason: Greed for More Hours and OVERTIME. I let her have it.
@ Guest1 I am sorry that happened. Not all Kikuyus behave like that and I am sure you have met many Kikuyus who were friendly. That kind of greed for hours and her being rather cold to you is short sighted and I hope one day she will be grateful to you.
Stop lying that you are not a luo, you do so so you can attack the other side. Most Kenyans other than luos hate Raila for his selfish politics of hate and lies and because he is a luo. Stop spreading hate.
Thanks for stating the obvious, most people hate Raila for his politics and theatrics not his tribe but Guest1 , Doreen to score points .
Your reaction does not surprise me.
As I said,when you mention the name Raila to Jubilee supporters, common-sense flies out of the window and they act like they are demon possessed.
Am not a Luo.
And I am not going to entertain irrational,intolerant, demon possessed Jubilee supporters.
You are free to go to NASA's love-filled events where they do nothing but sing about their love for Kikuyus and Kales. I am sure that is a very healthy environment, just like Raila's meetings. But what makes you think your Kikuyu friends or former friends want a friend like you... a closet hater?
I not responsible for other people's thoughts and reactions.
Dueces.
Uhuru Kenyatta supporters want to infect all Kenyans with their abnormal Hate for Raila Odinga.
Personally, am not going to infected with abnormal hate and obsession of Raila.
Its like they are demon possessed.
They can exclude me from Team Hate Raila.
Bad company ruins good character.
This is disheartening, to say the least. This is a group one would expect to be completely de-tribalized but, alas, it's actually the other way round! But on a closer look, it's easier to understand why. In this instance, Mugure was apparently born and brought up in a rural environment in Nyeri where she probably never intermingled with Kenyans from other communities. Likewise for Omogo. They both flew from their respective tribal homelands straight to the diverse / cosmopolitan United States and what else would one expect? Both are immensely ignorant but I am particularly astonished by the hatred / animosity of Kyuks against Luos. It's just unbelievable. We have tribalists from everywhere but, by and large, Kyuks lead the pack by far.
Mlachake. It ASTONISHES me even MORE when we NIGERians Hate Raila MORE yet he Gave Our Kibaki the Presidency when he NOT only said "Kibaki Tosha"; but also Helped Kibaki Lead the Country when he Was Sick and Being MANIPULATED by the KIAMBU Mafia. NB: Raila even PAID Kibaki's Medical Bill (abroad) from his own pocket. Yet we NYERIans keep on hating him and ESSENTIALLY Cursing Ourselves (by Disrespecting him, Insulting him, and "Biting the Hand that Fed Us when Kiambu MAFISISI's (Mafias were out to Finish us NYERIans).
@Guest1. Wacha oungo you cannot be a Nigerian and at the same time a Nyerian. Did you read what you wrote. It contradict itself. Kibaki is a very rich man and did not need fake Joshua to pay his medical bill
That is the first thing that I saw. A Nigerian who is from Nyeri! You cannot light a lamp and place it under the bed and expect there will be darkness
You started off well until you ended your narrative with kyuks lead the way , and thereon tells me you ain't better than anyone else
The only difference i know is PEACE v/s DESTRUCTION/MURDERERS.Peace lovers are hardworking Kenyans who do not depend on or worship other human beings.The other group is made up of mostly lazy demons who even volunteer to die for muuaji Raila to rule Kenya.None of the two(Uhuru or Raila) or their kitchen(elite) followers can help Kenyans in terms of development.All of them belong to the GALLOWS.But it's better we have peace than daily murders,ejection,destruction and all types of evil as witnessed in 07/08 PEV by the already declared TERROR leader-muaji Raila.
Omera. Useless and Deconstructive is Your Comment(s) as Usual.
Guest 1 kitu gani?Who are you to me?You have a right to worship your killer god,Raila but but you can never force me to recognize or accept him as anything.He is just a killer like you.
I was not in this conversation but Omera, not only don't you make sense, you are n liar who wants to use Omera as your name to make belief you are a Luo. What is working in your sub-conscious mind is hatred and tribalism . I just have to read your contents to understand where you are coming from. If you can have this kind of anger posting, you must be those Eldoret idiots that burned people for their hatred of a person who is in the opposition and who cares who you are or I am. Same for the Jubilee people. Would you vote for someone because of his ideas or tribe na chama?
Uliza mamayako nani aliua watu 07/08 PEV kama hujui ghashia hii
Hehehehe I remember when I landed in the USA Sidon n gormolla 2001,kisiii mainly were calling immigrations for other Kenyans without papers in Philadelphia,New Jersey,Minnesota n Wisconsin.They wanted them deported n some calling were illegal too but when the immigration started asking for their details they kinda stopped??Was that bin tribal???I have said it here that every tribe need to feel proud of their roots n for those who don’t feel pride of their tribe or their roots they should b ashamed of themselves???Yes we have differences among ourselves so it’s upto is to leave with it or try to adjust without apologies??Some tribes r known lazy others productive etc.Personally I will advice tribes to stick on their tribes when it comes to marriages otherwise if this marriages r not strong they will break away when tribal bullshit starts.Thats my opionion,others may see it otherwise but it’s upto to them.So watu wanjipange???Being of a certain tribe is not a crime.
Mkenya HALISI. I agree with you and I guess INTER-Tribal Kikuyu Marriages COULD or CAN be Very STRESSFUL as Such a Political Time as this. Very sad😢.
What is there to be proud of? Did you apply or choose to born Kikuyu? Or whatever? Saying some are lazy and others hardworking is stereotyping, a very dangerous thing in a divided country like ours. You need to be smarter than this.
I am not a Kenyan, but have lived a long time in Kenya. I am friends with Kenyans of all tribes and ethnicity. The Kikuyus both home and abroad assume that the Kenyan nation is their wholesome birth right in exclusion of the other tribes. Raila Odinga is the conscience of the nation. He is the only politician in Kenya to have advocated for equal right for all Kenyans regardless of their tribe. For those who don’t like him, please tell me what is wrong with calling for electoral reforms that will produce free, fair and credible elections. When a credible election is held, it’s victory for all Kenyan. Stealing elections has short term gains that will eventually destroy and break up a very beautiful country.
Thanks Peter. I also have a fren who is not Kenyan. She says she sees many people like you who claim they are not kenyans when hiding behind keyboards. She says they lack imagination though, because once they settle down on their topic, it sounds no different than that from from all other demagogues who ride on Joshua Kony Amollo. Sorry Peter, try another method. That one☝️☝️isn't Workin....
Che Guevara. You're a DENIER of Truth; and you're of the HIGHEST Order.
@Peter. It seems you know very little about Kenya. Raila made all the IEBC commissioners who were working for IEBC in 2013 to be fired and demanded new ones. They hire new ones but since he did not win on 8/8 he wants the new ones to be fired also. New passed a new constitution on 2010 but now he is speaking about Bomas (a constitution that did not pass the referendum)
For kenya survive this time around there must be a president not from central or kalenjin period. TUMECHOKA.
MBINGU. I say TIBIM!!!
I'm a kikuyu and I have a friends from all tribes in Kenya, mainly because I attended one of the major Public Universities in Kenya. This I have to say is all hype! sensationalization of the media, just today I had brunch with a kisii, luo, kikuyu, kamba Digo, Giriama , and Luhya . So in my neck of the wood we are coexisting and mature adults that we are agree to disagree and in the end, we all loVe Kenya, we all want to get rid of tribal politics, we all want corruption free Kenya, we all want to retire in our enclaves in a prosperous Kenya and our Americans kids to love vacationing in our motherland. Personally I do not hate anyone for their political affiliation , it is their right . I may be jubilee damu but I do not hate a tribe, I dislike a party way/tactics of bringing harmony in Kenya - huge difference. In the end we got only one Kenya whether we have citizenship elsewhere, we all love Kenya , so we can agree to disagree, taunt each other like in a sport but I wholeheartedly believe either side loves Kenya dearly and both leaders are not really bridging any gap with the stand offs. For people to compromise,we all need to stop the I'm right stance and look inward and logically with facts argue our causes and facts = no fake news!. To compromise just like a marriage is to let go of ego, to listen where one is coming from , to debate w/o pointing fingers but to have empathy and to own it when we have worn biased glasses on the other side.Unfortunately, many comments here displays such . My side is right, yours is not ! Until we all play for Kenya not my side is right and yours is not, I'm afraid we will never reach a compromise .Long live the tribe called Kenya
formerlyguest 2. The TRUTH be told: You have been one of the Most Tribal SCRIBES on this Mwakilishi Forum.
Really , mine has been one and only Raila, his wafuasi and their theatrics but you and Mbindu or CAPLOCKS want to label me tribal and a liar and any other adjectives as I have been called elsewhere, well it is your prerogative.
@formalyguest2 your story is purely self serving which qualifies for total B.S.
SORRY
. Yes it is self serving because you know me so well right? ...It is amazing how people assume they know someone based on few entries on Mwakilishi but if it makes you Caplock feel better about your obvious hate and drag others into it, go right ahead. Adios , let me go self serve myself lol elsewhere , done !
We are all reacting to an anecdotal story,based on interviewing 3 or at most 4 people. However, the genius of the story is that it has made several of us to spill our hearts content. Perhaps, there is a moral behind this conflict....
MaragA. Correct. The "spilling of our heart's content" is EMOTIVE Therapy; but with Caution though.
We have spilled our heart contents yet we were called fake and feigning we are not tribal . oh well , time to march on to real world
Don't be too hard on yourself. The people that say you are feigning are trifling and trivial. Given time, when they look back, they will see the folly of their ways and how inconsequential it was; that is if any conscience exists in their moral precept. Watch how they respond to my response.
Such times I go back to Benjamin Franklin's virtues, which go: "be not disturbed at trifles or at accidents, common and avoidable (tranquility). Imitate Jesus and Socrates (humility)".
@Mugi - what do you mean shame on diasporans? What makes you think we differ in feelings and thoughts from you cozed in some corner of Kenya? I am foremost a human, Kenyan and Kikuyu. In that order. Just coz I am miles away does not mean I feel a sort of different way at the idiocy being displayed by our people. Get real.
Uhuru(Swahili word for independence) is not(will never be) another for Gikuyu tribe.But when did Raila become another name for Luo tribe?You should talk of individuals hating murderer Raila for being a PROFESSIONAL MURDERER but not the Luo community.You can never force me to love or respect anybody.Thanks to Doreen and GUEST 1 for assisting individuals get jobs which is common everywhere but they never helped the Gikuyu community in anything.They can withdraw their help at any moment if they feel it's life to the Gikuyu.
The most interesting thing is these Jubilee supporters prayer everyday!Everyday they have set aside a time for prayers.Sijui five o'clock in the morning,sometimes 10 o'clock at night.
I don't know how you can pray everyday and still be filled with hate,bitterness,anger,bile and unforgiveness.
They need to sort their feelings and their issues with Raila on their own time.
Prayers is not working for them.
Jubilee supporters are some bitter hate filled bastards who should be avoided.
@Doreen. First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye.
You are really misinformed and ill motivated Raila sycophant hidden behind a veil of am neither Jubilee or nasa supporter Your comments betray your inexcusable allegiance go kid others We know the hate filled AntiUhuru fingerlings like you try to lie and lie and lie
For me it's is personal... I was never into Kenyan politics until early 2008 when I spent 3 days not knowing if my family in Mombasa was dead or alive ... It started when a mob of Raila followers chanting "No Raila no peace" targeting all the known Kikuyus in this particlar neighborhood and what happened next was the women escaped wearing burkas/buibuis and the men remained behind to defend the homestead with buckets of water to put out fires from the mobs who came carring torches ready to burn Kikuyu homes and businesses... Raila has never repented and still continues preaching his tribal hatred gospel as recent as last June 2017 in Kajiado... It is not the Luos I have issues with, my beef is with Raila the persion and not his tribe... Chris Wamalwa is part of the problem and should stop filing biased reports with his employer Nations Media because he is fanning diaspora tribal divisions to benefit his patron Raila...
Let me just point out:
Kikuyu tribe Historical injustices were not committed by Raila.
Coast people are victims of historical injustices.
So are Kikuyu's.
Kikuyu's leadership committed historical injustices against their own people.
So let's clarify that.
Muuaji Raila cannot benefit twice,i.e,cannibalizing 1300 Kenyans and being the president of the bereaved.Savimbi atosheke na kutavune maiti za binaadamu.He must forget the presidency and continue sharing the human mulo with his two cooks-Guest1 and Doreen.
For me it's is personal... I was never into Kenyan politics until early 2008 when I spent 3 days not knowing if my family in Mombasa was dead or alive ... It started when a mob of Raila followers chanting "No Raila no peace" targeting all the known Kikuyus in this particlar neighborhood and what happened next was the women escaped wearing burkas/buibuis and the men remained behind to defend the homestead with buckets of water to put out fires from the mobs who came carring torches ready to burn Kikuyu homes and businesses... Raila has never repented and still continues preaching his tribal hatred gospel as recent as last June 2017 in Kajiado... It is not the Luos I have issues with, my beef is with Raila the persion and not his tribe...
Mhhhh! I guess a fitting headline would have been "Rivalry between Kenyans (in Kenya and diaspora) is dividing Uhuru and Raila" The last time I checked, Kenyans were attacking other Kenyans but Uhuru and Raila greet each other when they meet. Looking deeply, the wananchi are more ethnically inclined than their leaders-its that they only no medium to capture their tribal inclinations. The leaders only wake up the sleeping dogs of ethnicity in us. If Kenyans did not pay heed to raos "demagoguery" or uhurutos "hegamony"; you and I would be at peace with each other and coexist in our hoods and slums alike.
@Anna Mumbi, I hear you, lakini it's hard to separate Raila the person, to his hard core supporters. I have personally lost respect for this guy so much so that my gripe is with those who are ignorant to his evil intentions, Luo, or otherwise. I don't have a blind loyalty to anyone just coz of our united heritage and I am not averse to checking Uhuru when I feel he is out line. Odinga however is a different ball game, for he is so drunk with his quest for power he loses sight of our past. This is then made worse by his supporters marinated in the same hate/thirst for power at any cost. Kenya has gone low, our economy is being strangled by these selfish leaders. With the defense often put by the likes of Guest1, I despair to even think how dialogue can begin with such ignorance and basic understanding. I mean, who gives up their job because his colleague is a hard working kikuyu who will not talk to them after introducing them to the post? An idiot. Period. The person my have opted to ignore Guest1 to make a distinction, i.e- not same as Guest1, lest anyone mistook her. She then blames the woman for wanting more shifts. C'mon now, you want more coins you work and take on more, you don't run away crying foul play. That's just what Odinga is teaching his flock, cry foul when evidence stacks up against you!
Shame on you all diaporians. You should be helping in guiding Kenya but despite your exposure, you are helping by tearing it apart :)