Why are Kenya's neighbours proving so hostile?

Xenophobia is not a word I ever encountered in the course of my long academic or social journey. Thus it became an addition to my limited vocabulary only a few years ago when it was used to describe the outrage by South Africans against the influx of foreigners into their country after independence. It was then that I learnt that Xenophobia refers to an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers. And hence it became clear to me why I may not have encountered this word in my earlier years.

In spite our many weaknesses, Kenyans cannot be described as xenophobic. By nature we are a tolerant and hospitable people. In fact Kenyans seem to lie at the other end of the xenophobia spectrum. We tend to prefer foreigners to our own fellow brothers and sisters. A Kenyan will easily defend a foreigner against his or her fellow Kenyan.