Ethnicity.docx

Examine the challenges of ethnicity in Africa

Ethnicity is more than skin color or physical characteristics, more than language, song, and dance. It is the embodiment of values, institutions, and patterns of behavior, a composite whole representing a people’s historical experience, aspirations, and world view. Independence removed the common enemy, the colonial oppressor, but actually sharpened the conflict over centralized power and control over national resources. To this end ethnicity is clearly a resource for political manipulation and entrepreneurship. African politicians weaponise negative ethnicity to further their selfish ambitions. They use ethnicity to distribute resources for example schools, infrastructure and social services. Presidents and top official develop their rural areas as well as develop the welfare of their tribal kinsman ignoring the other ethnic groups. Leaders also use ethnicity to carry out violence and manipulate democracy. This was observed in Kenya in post-election violence where the contesting leaders manipulate and perpetrated violence basing on their ethnic affiliation. Nepotism and tribalism is also prevalent in African countries. During the reign of Kenyatta in Kenya he gave influential positions to his ethnic kinsman disadvantaging other ethnic groups and when Moi became president he shuffled the government and gave influential positions to the members of his ethnic group. This is largely the reason why Africa is underdeveloped since politicians are just concerned about personal enrichment and stay in power not development of the nations. Poverty is also facilitated by ethnicity for example the people in turkana are languishing in abject poverty because their ethnic group is deprived and alienated. This level of poverty and lack of

viable livelihoods in Turkana serve as a clear indication that resources are distributed along ethnic lines with the winner takes it all rhetoric. Ethnicity is also used to incriminate and DE campaign others. African politicians have the tendency to label other ethnic groups as thieves, rude, and unfit to lead. This serves as the basis for discrediting them from being elevated to positions of influence and power. F=this is observed in Zimbabwe where the Ndebele are not given a chance to become presidents and be voted into higher offices siting that their ancestors sold the country to the colonialists. This creates hatred and unequal opportunities fraught with one ethnic group’s privileges.