Muluka wrong on Mulembe nation's 'swarm intelligence'

Crowd at Bukhungu Stadium during Azimio la Umoja meeting on December 31, 2021. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

I read with mixed feelings columnist Barrack Muluka’s opinion last week titled 'Mulembe nation’s foolishness is good news to Ruto and Raila'.

His thesis that “friendly hostility and playful contempt is the best way to predate on this nation” captures well the predatory nature of ethno-centrically driven politics. As a wise man analysing his ingo backyard, he therefore concludes that “herds that lack swarm intelligence will (also) perish. And the Abaluhya herd lacks this intelligence.”

The Mulembe nation is blessed with great intellectuals. It is home to brilliant debaters in Parliament, in workplaces, in fact, anywhere. Mulembe nation has some extraordinarily courageous politicians.

Martin Shikuku (RIP) aka “the people’s watchman” was a national hero even though he was just a mere a MP. During his time, you needed to be a minister and a strong system supporter to be heard, leave alone seen. At individual and collective levels, there is no doubt whatsoever that Mulembe nation has the intellect to determine its destiny.

The challenge of “lacking swarm intelligence” needs contextualisation. Muluka knows his people than any of us outsiders. The DNA of Mulembe residents is a nice blend of generosity, open-mindedness and inclusivity. They have unmatched values in freedom of association and speech. Nevertheless, negative politics can – and indeed do – take advantage of this ontological openness to the other. However, does it pay to change one’s DNA to survive?

The risk of “herd swarm intelligence” to society is that it actually turns us back to the Hobbesian world in which our nature destroys and cannibalises perceived or real opponents. In Thomas Hobbes’ nature, there is no room for the grand paradigm we have embraced – democracy.

Our Constitution embodies the spirit of this democracy. Therein lies the contradiction. Tribes with “herd swarm intelligence” have since independence cannibalised tribes that place individual liberties at the centre of national development.

Put differently, must individuals join group narcissism to gain benefits from the national government? Well, the unfortunate truth shows that tribes that have ruled since independence have benefited at the expense of the tribes that “lack swarm intelligence.”

Yet, we may ask, is the solution to call upon each tribe to develop “herd swarm intelligence”? Should we resolve that the presidency rotate so the tribes that embrace “herd swarm intelligence” and those that prefer “individual autonomy” have a chance at distributing the national cake? Herd swarm intelligence is a gift but so is “a cheetah intelligence.”

To problematise Muluka’s thesis, playing hardball in Kenyan politics has actually settled as a given. That explains why our history has waves of changes beginning with the clamour for multiparty democracy in the 1990s, constitutional reforms in the 2000s all the way to the current struggles for just distribution of resources to counties. It follows then that building muscles for hard tackles is the way to go. Not quite though. We should borrow from Shikuku and develop strong pushback mechanisms that cushion everyone, particularly tribes that do not believe in herd intelligence.

Two tragedies we should avoid: The Sisyphus mythology in which Sisyphus finds happiness in pushing up a hill a stone that he never gets to tip over. That is futility. Mulembe nation like all other tribes should not settle for futile political unit efforts. Instead, demand for compensation from whoever has brought down the sugarcane, cotton industries, crop farming and so forth. Keep your DNA but be no pushovers.

Secondly and most importantly, turn self-pity upside down to find strength in the social and political culture of Mulembe nation. While I see the wisdom in Muluka’s clarion call to his people, there is more depth in liberating “herd intelligence nations” of this country to find believability in the capacities of others to grow our country.

Dr Mokua is Executive Director, Loyola Centre for Media and Communication