This archive report was first published on 21 October 2019.
On Mashujaa Day, President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized the importance of national unity, citing pervasive division as a major obstacle to Kenya's progress.
However, unity remains an elusive goal, hindered by perpetual mistrust and ethnic mobilization, where politicians demonize others and use their influence to support their communities at the expense of others.
As President Kenyatta's term ends in 2022, the political scene is increasingly divided, with some supporting the handshake between President Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga, while others, led by Deputy President William Ruto, fiercely oppose it.
Even among supporters of the handshake, there is a lack of clarity on its purpose, and the unity question runs deeper than political pacts, requiring structural and systemic changes to give it force.
One of the reasons for ethnic animosities is the skewed access to national resources, with political leaders allocating more resources and opportunities to their regions or communities, excluding others.
Devolution was intended to address these inequalities, but despite constitutional provisions, the disparities persist, with some regions receiving more opportunities than others, reflecting the power of political influence.
Recently, the government has demonstrated bias towards the elderly, appointing them to lucrative positions at the expense of the youth and women.
For national unity to be achieved, governmental interventions are necessary, and President Kenyatta's appeal for patriotism, while well-intentioned, must be matched by actions from political leaders, who must first demonstrate patriotism in word and deed.
