This is your country, Speak out

Wanjiku Kihika, 23, is the founder of Tribeless Youth Movement in Kenya that seeks to end negative ethnicity that could lead to poll chaos. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Active on Twitter, Shikoh had witnessed firsthand as Kenyans tore into each other on the virtual scene. She decided to intervene, and using #TribelessYouth, sought to crusade against political animosity. 
  • Often, we organise coffee bars, where young people meet and mingle, and then on Thursday, we converge on Twitter to propagate our agenda depending on the theme of the week.”
  • Fighting tribalism in essence weakens politicians’ favourite campaign tool. Empowering and educating the youth hurts politicians’ self-interests, but mostly, they dread a united youth.

For Kenyans active on social media, particularly on Twitter, Tribeless Youth rings a loud bell.

For months now, the campaign has been trending on Twitter every week on Thursdays, with youths drawn from all over the 47 counties hitting their keyboards with messages of unity, discussing the importance of a mental shift from tribal-based to policy and issue-based politics.

Out of disgust of tribal politics that marked the elections of 2013, and the resultant animosity that had spilled over onto social media, 23 year old Wanjiku Kihika from Nakuru County, popularly known as Shikoh among her peers, took to Twitter, her intention to exorcise this demon that continues to seize the country in a chokehold to date.

Active on Twitter, Shikoh had witnessed firsthand as Kenyans tore into each other on the virtual scene. She decided to intervene, and using #TribelessYouth, sought to crusade against political animosity. 

“I started off by appealing to Kenyans to desist from publishing hateful messages about their political antagonists. At first, the response was slow and disappointing. Steadily though, I began getting retweets from other young people who were equally disenchanted by the negativity online,” says Shikoh, a communication and public relations student at Egerton University.

After weeks of fervent tweeting, and imagining that the political storm had been tempered, Shikoh withdrew. After a while however, her followers on Twitter began enquiring about what had become of her campaign.

CARAVAN OF CAHNGE

“The positive reviews reignited my desire to keep posting messages of tolerance. On return, I started a hashtag that trended for two days. It is then that I understood the power of social media.”

While most virtual campaigns last a few days, or weeks at most, this young woman’s initiative is not about to lose its potency. By 2016, Tribeless Youth had gained so much traction on Twitter, that with nearly 17,000 followers, Shikoh was now a sensation and a trendsetter.

“With the immense support I was receiving from fellow Kenyans, I thought, why not found an actual organisation with a structure and life outside social media?”

That way, Tribeless Youth came into being.

“We visit churches and schools to meet and address the youth. We hold sessions with bodaboda riders and teach them the importance of participating in governance and accountability processes in their counties.

Often, we organise coffee bars, where young people meet and mingle, and then on Thursday, we converge on Twitter to propagate our agenda depending on the theme of the week.”

So far, the Tribeless Youth caravan has been to 13 counties, and Shikoh is upbeat about visiting more before the year ends. Besides crusading for amity, Tribeless Youth has become a platform where young people debate matters of interest to them, such as joblessness, education and art.  

“I conceived the idea with the hope of ending negative ethnicity online. The gains have surpassed my initial dream. When you have the youth together under the same umbrella, it becomes easier to address other matters that affect us, which is what we have been doing, and what we intend to keep doing.”

It is easy to mistake her for a bashful young woman. Her petite frame and placid demeanour however belie incredible courage, passion and determination, attributes that have endeared her to community and church leaders, NGOs and county authorities, thus earning their recognition and support. 

“I sit in Nakuru County’s County Peace Committee. The police have been supportive, seeing as the initiative is an effort to bridge the gap between the police force and the youth, which is usually characterised by suspicion and hostility.”

It has however not been easy to bring everyone into the fold, with politicians’ support of the campaign ranging from reluctant to lukewarm, because of what Shikoh terms obvious reasons.

“Fighting tribalism in essence weakens politicians’ favourite campaign tool. Empowering and educating the youth hurts politicians’ self-interests, but mostly, they dread a united youth.”

She does not believe the national government has accorded Kenya’s youth enough attention. She remarks: “Young people’s matters are placed under the Ministry of Gender and Social Services, which makes one wonder if as young people we are a separate gender. We constitute over 70 per cent of Kenya’s population, yet ironically, the constitution virtually views us as a minority group,” Shikoh argues.

MOVEMENT FACILITATORS

According to her, Kenyan youth ought to be empowered through provision of affordable and relevant education, jobs and establishment of reliable avenues that will encourage self-reliance, as opposed to blackmail in the guise of constitutional protection.

Tribeless Youth relies on the goodwill of organisations and well-wishers.

“We draft proposals and share them with various corporates, who we hope will fund us. The business community in Nakuru has especially been very supportive, while the state provides security during roadshows.”

She adds that Midrift Human Rights Network, a human rights group based in Nakuru, has particularly been crucial to the movement’s operations. Besides housing them in their premises, they provide them with technical and logistical support.

“My team consists of four members of staff, an IT expert, project manager, and two office assistants, all who work on a voluntary basis. We also have tens of youths drawn from all over Kenya who propagate the movement’s principles from wherever they are. These are Kenyans who are passionate about being part of the change we as the youth have always desired.”

For a country where negative ethnicity tends to escalate as polls draw nearer, the significance of the Tribeless Youth initiative cannot be overstated.

“We envision a country where elections are a seamless and peaceful process, conducted in the most professional way, and competent leaders, irrespective of their tribal inclinations, elected. A country where young people are able to advocate for their rights and hold office bearers accountable while emphasising the national values that unites us all as Kenyans.”

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Wanjiku at a Glance 

  •   She is 23, and is studying communication and public relations.

  •   She sits in Nakuru County’s County Peace Committe.

  •  The Tribeless Youth caravan has been to 13 counties so far.

  •  She envisions a country where competent leaders, irrespective of tribe, are elected.