The Illusion of Shared Destiny: How Tribal Loyalty Controls Kenyan Society

 Tribalism is Here to Stay: A Psychological Analysis of Kenya’s Deep-Rooted Problem

"Tribalism is something that is here with us and it is here to stay."

Sound familiar? Have you ever asked where this is coming from? A politician perhaps? A person who is a beneficiary of being on the "winning side"? What exactly do we mean when we talk about tribe?

Every tribe has its own language, which is the first defining characteristic of its identity. But language alone does not always suffice. Sometimes, neighbouring tribes share linguistic similarities. In intertribal unions, children often straddle both cultures, making it difficult to assign them a single tribal identity, especially if they understand both languages. Beyond language, tribes have names, traditions, and belief systems that define them, sometimes passed down through ancestral lineage or drawn from historical events.

Despite decades of intertribal unions and cohabitation, tribalism remains a powerful force in Kenya. It is not merely an expression of cultural pride—it is a deeply ingrained structure used as a weapon of political and economic control. It determines elections, employment opportunities, access to government resources, and even interpersonal relationships. This tribal loyalty is not always explicit; it is coded in the way Kenyans think, vote, and behave socially. But why?

The Evolutionary and Psychological Roots of Tribalism

To understand this phenomenon, we must first acknowledge that tribalism is human nature. From an evolutionary perspective, human beings evolved in environments where loyalty to a group was essential for survival. Tribes that worked together thrived, while those that failed to cooperate perished. Over thousands of years, natural selection favoured traits that promoted group cohesion, including ingroup loyalty and outgroup suspicion.

The human mind was shaped by coalitional competition. Groups that punished defectors and rewarded loyalty secured resources and land, ensuring their survival and dominance. Over time, this tribal mentality became embedded in our cognition, manifesting in modern times as political, ethnic, and ideological affiliations. The recent study on Tribalism Scale Construction and Validation confirms that tribal behaviour can be measured through key dimensions such as tribal pride, tribal loyalty, and tribal group identity, reinforcing the deep-seated nature of tribal allegiance within individuals.

Kenya is a prime example of this. Here, tribal loyalty is a survival mechanism—whether in business, politics, or social circles. It ensures access to jobs, contracts, and protection from systemic discrimination. As a result, Kenyans subconsciously gravitate toward their ethnic groups when seeking opportunities, knowing that their tribe will protect and elevate them. The illusion of shared destiny is a powerful psychological motivator.

The Weaponisation of Tribalism in Kenya

The biggest problem in Kenya is not just the existence of tribalism but how it is manipulated by political elites to maintain power. Political leaders exploit the natural human tendency toward ingroup bias, framing national issues in terms of tribal alliances rather than merit or policy. This is in line with research showing that tribalism plays a major role in election rigging, corruption, underdevelopment, and nepotism.

If my tribe dominates government positions, I am made to believe that I will directly benefit from their rule. If my tribe is excluded, I feel marginalised, even if my personal economic situation remains unchanged. This sense of tribal entitlement is not rooted in logic but emotionally-driven perception, fuelled by decades of political engineering that equates tribe with access to resources.

For as long as Kenyans think along the lines of tribe, there will always be:

1. A sense of entitlement among those who benefit from tribal dominance.
2. Resentment from those excluded from power.
3. A lack of accountability, as incompetent leaders are shielded by ethnic loyalty.
4. Manipulation of historical grievances, keeping tribes divided to prevent a united citizenry.

The most dangerous aspect of this dynamic is that it creates a self-reinforcing cycle. Politicians do not need to prove their competence; they simply need to play the tribal card effectively. Once elected, they enrich their kin and loyalists, further deepening the cycle of tribal favouritism and exclusion.

Cognitive Bias and Political Tribalism

The psychological underpinnings of tribalism explain why Kenyans remain loyal to corrupt, incompetent, and even criminal leaders simply because they belong to the same tribe. This phenomenon is deeply rooted in cognitive biases, particularly:

1. Confirmation Bias – People seek out information that supports their tribal loyalties while rejecting facts that contradict their beliefs.
2. Groupthink – Within a tribal group, dissent is discouraged. Questioning tribal loyalty is seen as betrayal rather than independent thinking.
3. Moral Tribalism – Groups assign moral superiority to their own tribe while demonising others.
4. Motivated Reasoning – Kenyans justify the actions of their leaders, no matter how unethical, because accepting the truth threatens their sense of group identity.
5. The Backfire Effect – When confronted with evidence that contradicts tribal beliefs, people double down instead of reconsidering their position.

These biases make it extremely difficult to break free from tribal narratives. Even when individuals acknowledge the flaws in their leaders, they often justify them as "necessary evils" to protect the tribe from external threats.

Can Kenya Move Beyond Tribalism?

One of Kenya’s greatest ironies is that despite over 60 years of independence, we have failed to develop a cohesive national identity. Our allegiance to tribe outweighs our allegiance to country.

Kenyan politics has never been about ideological debates or policy discussions. Instead, it is a game of tribal chess, where alliances are formed and broken based on ethnic arithmetic rather than governance principles. The Tribalism Index, as developed by researchers, highlights the extent to which tribal divisions shape socio-political structures in countries like Kenya.

Breaking the Cycle: A Psychological and Structural Approach

If Kenya is to move forward, we must rewire our psychological approach to politics. The solution is not merely "preaching unity" but actively dismantling the cognitive biases that sustain tribalism.

1. Education and Critical Thinking – Teaching Kenyans to think critically about political narratives rather than passively accepting tribal propaganda.
2. Institutional Reforms – Strengthening institutions to ensure that government appointments and resource allocation are based on merit rather than ethnicity.
3. National Ethos Building – Creating a shared national identity that transcends tribe, focusing on Kenyan values rather than tribal interests.

Conclusion

Tribalism is a natural human instinct, but it does not have to be our defining destiny. Until Kenyans recognise that their greatest enemy is not "the other tribe" but the system that manipulates tribalism for power, we will continue to be pawns in a game rigged against us.

The first step is acknowledging our biases, questioning tribal loyalties, and demanding leadership based on competence rather than ethnicity. Only then can we begin to break free from the psychological shackles of tribalism and build a Kenya that works for all its people.