Deep in the forests of Mkunumbi in Lamu county live the Wasanye, a hunter-gatherer community, probably one of the most marginalised peoples in the country.
A few Wasanye have served in politics at civic level, but the irony is that with devolution, none among them was elected to Parliament, as senator or governor. They pinned their hopes on nomination, but that also vanished.
Some Wasanye are of the view that their exclusion from politics and government jobs is as a result of mass illiteracy and ignorance.
Ibrahim Ware Boneya, a former Tana River county nominated and elected civic leader, blames their misfortunes to what he refers to as the tyranny of numbers.
Mr Boneya, himself a Standard Eight dropout, says lack of representation in the government has denied them opportunities to develop as individuals and as a group, leading to more marginalisation.
“Nepotism, clanism and unfair competition has played against us for a while now. The factors have greatly contributed to none of us being elected to Parliament,” the Wiper Democratic Movement member said.
NATIONAL CAKE
Promulgation of the new Constitution in August 2010 and devolution have brought their fair share of challenges, considering the fact that there is a provision to include the minority and marginalised in governance.
At Bahati Kalele Village, 45-year-old Salim Mohammed, the village elder, believes their under-representation in the government has greatly contributed to little or no development, denying them a share of the national cake.
Mr Mohammed believes their migration style, low literacy and the stereotype that they are born to serve others has made them remain out of meaningful positions. “Politicians come to ask for votes during campaigns and offer us all manner of goodies. After we cast our ballots, we remain as we have always been; in grinding poverty. They treat us like slaves,” he says.
Mr Mohammed also blames social-economic factors for the Wasanye’s plight. In Bahati Kalele, for example, only three people, including him, have gone up to Standard Eight.
“The three of us are the most educated members of this village. Perhaps with affirmative action, things might work out well for our children so that they can advance to higher levels,” he says.
Mariam Omar Shaban, his grandmother, believes some of their cultures and history have contributed to their pariah-like state.
“There have been a lot of distortions about our origin and this has haunted us for long,” she says.
Ecumenical Centre for Justice and Peace Lamu coordinator, Mr Julius Kimotho, is of the view that lack of financial and education muscle has led to the suffering experienced by the Wasanye. He says parents’ inability to educate their children will haunt them for a long time.
“It is like they are not Kenyan citizens. During the 2009 population census, for example, they went unnoticed, only to be classified as being among the Waswahili. I have a feeling that there is a conspiracy to bring the Wasanye to extinction,” he says.
Dr Mohammed Yassin, of the National Cohesion Integration Commission says the Wasanye lack qualifications for many formal jobs due to their seasonal schools.
“Most pupils never go beyond Standard Three or Four,” he says, he says, adding that affirmative action for small groups would address the imbalance by lowering qualifications for a while.
“It’s important that we head-hunt and support certain people to attain higher levels of education and mentor them for some of these jobs,” he says.
Dr Yassin adds that many issues were being ignored in devolution, but with reality dawning, mechanisms to iron them should be developed quickly.
NOT SHORT-LISTED
Kilifi deputy speaker Teddy Mwambire says the Wasanye were not short-listed by political parties for nomination to the Assembly.
“These people were unlucky enough to belong to parties that never won slots in the County or National Assemblies. Their miscalculation cost them dearly,” he says.
Mr Mwambire adds that the Executive members’ jobs advertised required competent people with experience and had to be given out on merit.
Former Tana River County Council chairman Golo Gure says minorities have suffered marginalisation.
“Political and government jobs are never shared fairly, leading to unnecessary rifts,” he says.
Reforming how governance works in light of historical grievances is not easy. However, it must be reiterated that these institutions that make up our democracy are, at their best, designed to serve the interests of citizens and should not result in arbitrary social exclusion.
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