Religion plays a key role in our country and national elections. We see politicians being prayed for during election campaigns. Politicians also prey on religion. President William Ruto invited Christian leaders to cleanse the State House. There are claims that the Kenya Kwanza Coalition has a Memorandum of Understanding on state appointments with the clergy.
There is much we can talk about on the role of ethnicity in our politics. This brings us to this question; Can a Somali be Kenya’s president?
The Somali community continues to dominate in both our social, economic, and political classes.
While teaching Governance and Policy Dialogue at the African Union International Peace Support Training Centre hosted at the Defense college, Cyprian Nyamwamu came across a Somali 2040 strategy for Kenya.
According to Mr. Yamamura Governance Policy and Risk Advisor the Somali 2040 strategy aims to make the Kenyan Somali community the most powerful community in Kenya.
The Somali Strategy 2040 has five pillars explained as follows.
First, the Somalis aim to be the most populous ethnic community in Kenya, resident in all the 47 counties. This can be achieved by having each Kenyan Somali man to have at least 12 children (polygamy is allowed in the community) settled across the 47 counties. “I am told currently they are not declaring their ethnicity in the census, lest they scare the rest of us”, revealed Mr. Nyamwamu who is also the convener of the Gusii Tuitakayo Alliance.
The second pillar deals with economics and business in all the counties. The Somali business model is actually mind boggling as it starts with wholesale and retail trade in food eateries, petrol stations, supermarkets, fashion boutiques, transport, computers, mobile phones, Mpesa, money transfer and foreign exchange.
Wealth matters most and campaign financing is the most critical part of any election.
Thirdly, the Somalis are positioning themselves in all political parties and formations in membership and execution of policies.
The plan is to enter into constitutional commissions, security sector and public service.
They plan to win more members of county and national assemblies in more places than just Migori. Interestingly, three to four Somalis are nominated Members of County Assemblies in many counties across the country.
The issue of religion is the fourth pillar in the Somali 2040 plan by taking over Islamic leadership from the Arab and Swahili scholars and clergy in Kenya. The Somalis are in Sudan and Turkey in large numbers studying Islamic religion to be Ustadhs.
Finally, all Somali children to receive the best education in urban and rural areas, all the way to Havard and Ivy League universities in order to dominate private and civil service. Did you see Mahat, the Havard Mathematician representing IEBC?
Kenya’s president will be a Somali in 2042 but my friend Douglas Ogari cautions that the Somali 2040 strategy is the same as the Female Gender 2030 strategy and the women nomination, if not contained will sink the domination.
