Ethnic Diversity in Eastern Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements The discourses of solidarity, as encapsulated in nationalism and ethnicity , and their role in shaping events in Africa have continued to be of interest to scholars of politics and development. In most of Africa, the discursive energies harnessed during the struggle for independence have dissipated and the disillusionment with the performance of the state, seen as a venal predator, and declining economic circumstances in many countries have challenged national identity as a site of belonging. There is also the phenomenon of ‘political ethnicity’ (at times referred to as ‘tribalism’) which manifests itself most profoundly as citizens compete for power and resources. The genocidal tragedies of Burundi and Rwanda epitomize the devastating capability of ethnic polarization. But is there a way in which ethnic diversity can be harnessed to become a resource for political, economic, social, and cultural development? Through inter-ethnic solidarity and enhanced citizen participation in national affairs, accountable institutions of governance can be entrenched as society puts pressure on those who wield power. Furthermore, the accumulated knowledge on climate change and environmental protection within ethnic groups could be shared and made more sustainable. Creativity could be enhanced as communities come together and exchange learning and experiences. This book is a collection of important and thought provoking papers presented at the Ethnic Diversity in Eastern Africa: Opportunities and Challenges conference which was held on 17th and 18th October 2009. The conference was organized by Africa Health and Development International (AHADI) with the support of Rockefeller Foundation. It brought together participants from academic and civil society institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Burundi and Rwanda with the aim to create a space for candid discussions on ethnicity as an identity and ways in which diversity can be made a viable resource for political, economic and social well-being. We are immensely grateful to the Managing Director, Dr. James Nyoro, and the staff of the Rockefeller Foundation Office of Eastern Africa for making it possible for AHADI to work with others to address ethnic diversity issues in EasternAfrica. Equally, we are thankful to the panelists and the participants who provided valuable input into the presentations by asking questions and suggesting pertinent solutions. We are also indebted to the thoughtful and committed contributors to this book. Their time and effort in conceptualizing and writing the papers presented in the book are invaluable. We hope that the issues raised can become points of reference in examining how ethnic diversity can be harnessed for the good of the region. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission took an interest in the Conference and invited us to share the proceedings with Commissioners. We are grateful for the opportunity to have an input into the thinking at NCIC and contributing in the valuable task of building inter-ethnic tolerance and learning. The team at AHADI deserves gratitude for organizing the conference and coordinating various related activities prior, during and after the conference. We appreciate the input of Reynolds Ritcher (New York University) and Dr. Kabiri Ngeta for important comments and suggestions on the papers as well as Susan Bantu for assisting with the editorial work. Catherine Bosire deserves gratitude for typesetting the manuscript and designing it to completion. We thank you, the reader, for taking time to read this book. We hope that you will find some insights between these pages. Last but not least, we want to thank the many people who in our respective organizations, networks and lives have enabled us to dedicate the time and energy to bring this book from vision to reality. We thank them for their encouragement and support. AHADI Nairobi May 2010. ...