Former Interior and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has defended regional-based voting, saying Kenyans should not be shamed for supporting leaders from their communities.
In a statement on Wednesday, December 3, he argued that such voting patterns are a normal expression of identity and are common in democracies around the world.
Kibicho said Kenyans have been conditioned to see tribal identity as negative, even though it reflects cultural pride and democratic choice.
"Tribalism is condemned instead of being celebrated as identity pride. That is how you are brainwashed into doubting yourself for what the rest of the world considers normal democracy," he said.
Kibicho urged voters to embrace their regional interests without fear or apology, saying it is a legitimate part of political participation.
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"Moving forward, stop letting anyone shame you for practising what the rest of the world calls democracy. Vote for your region's interest without apology, fear or shame," he added.
Kibicho added that regional voting blocs exist even in well-established democracies, pointing to the United Kingdom as an example.
"Even in the world's most advanced democracies, regions vote in familiar and predictable ways. In the UK, much of Southern England tends to support the Conservatives, while Northern England and London lean towards Labour," he explained.
This comes over a year after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told off critics, asking them to stop equating his unity call with tribalism.
Speaking on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Nyeri County, Gachagua said the unity he is agitating for in Mount Kenya is to rally the region and all its people fully behind President William Ruto.
"When we are calling for unity of this region, it is not against anybody. There are people confusing our unity agenda with tribalism, they get it wrong. Far from it, people want unity of purpose so that we can effectively push for our fair share of the national cake and relevance in the national political discourse. If we are not united, we will not be strong," he said.
Gachagua asked leaders to unite in their respective regions so that there could be cohesion in the country.
"I am happy because people at the grassroots are united and in support of our unity agenda. The leaders fighting it and criticising should learn that all politics is local and they should listen to the ground," he added.
Gachagua was in the company of political leaders including Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga who called for unity in counties and regions.
"As we talk about national unity we cannot ignore unity at the regions or be divided at the counties. People unite because there are common things that they share. There cannot be unity in Kenya if the counties and regions are not united," he said.
