Tribalism has taken the center stage of almost everything taking place in Kenya. It determines how people vote, appointment in government and private institutions, and sometimes even social interactions.
For this reason, many Kenyans are always interested in knowing the community in which their leaders come from. An attempt to find out the community a leader comes from has made some Kenyans start doubting the origins of their leaders.
As a result, some Kenyans have claimed that some leaders don’t come from the communities they (leaders) claim to be coming from. Below are some of those leaders Kenyans have doubted their community of origin.
Martha Karua
Martha Karua is one of the leaders whose community of origin has always been a matter of public debate. Some people have claimed that the Narc leader is not a Kikuyu as she claims. In that regard, some claimed she is a Luo while most recently, reports claimed that she is a Luhya from her father’s side.
Rumors have it that the Iron Lady has roots from the Mulembe nations, specifically the Ikolomani constituency.
Those in the know, claim that Karua is the daughter of the late Ikolomani MP, Musa Amalemba. Idle rumormongers at some point even further dug a photo of the late Amalemba, claiming that he resembles Karua.
Both Karua and the family of the late MP have however refuted the rumors with the former Minister for Justice maintaining that she is a daughter of Mountain. On their side, Amalemba’s family notes that there is no proof that Karua is their daughter as claimed.
William Ruto
Deputy President William Ruto also another leader Kenyans have doubted his community of origin. Though the rumormongers maintain that the DP comes from the Kalenjin community – one of the largest communities in Kenya with several sub-tribes – they have maintained that he is not from the Nandi subtribe.
Critics claim Ruto is not a Nandi as he claims but a Kipsigis. They note that the country’s second in command is a Kipsigis who has lived among the Nandi for too long time hence confusing people that he is a member of the community.
Despite the rumors, DP Ruto has never come out to deny or accept the legitimacy of the claims.
Githu Muigai
Those in the know also claim that former Attorney General Githu Muigai is not from the Mt. Kenya region.
Reports claim that Prof Githu is a Luhya who was born out of a relationship between his mother, a Kikuyu, and former COTUS boss Clement Kalani Lumbembe
“While the former Assistant Minister didn’t marry Githu’s mother, the 57-year-old lawyer has maintained a strong link with his Luhya kin,” a local publication, Kahawa Tungu, said.
Alfred Mutua
How many times that the Machakos governor have to prove that he is a Kamba by tribe? Probably a thousand times. It is more than once that the flamboyant governor has been alleged to be a Luo on his father’s side.
The rumors about Mutua being a Luo begun after central Alego member of the county assembly, Leonard Oriaro, claimed that the governor has Luo blood as his father was from his ward.
The MCA alleged that Mutua’s father is called Habil Otieno Lut and Alfred’s birth name is Alfred Otieno Odango.
Mr. Oriaro further claimed that Mutua’s Luo father died in Mombasa in the early ’90s and it was the governor who arranged for his body to be airlifted to Siaya for burial.
Both Mutua and his mother have since denied the allegations. Mutua’s mother, Agnes Mutua noted that she has never been married in Siaya. According to her, it is her sister who was married to a Siaya man, Maj John Luttson who has since died.
