Too Little to Lose
In response to an a January 2008 article by The Economist, “A Very African Coup”, concerning the humanitarian crisis in Kenya, Sir Edward Clay, the British high commissioner to Kenya from 2001 to 2005, warned that the recent election-driven violence was a result of two underlying problems:
“First, there has undoubtedly been a serious breach of Kenya’s electoral law. A result arrived at illegally is itself illegal. Second, the poorest, whether in the slums of Nairobi or in the rural areas, had all too little to lose in the recent violence. Most people living in the slums are inhabitants of shanties erected at the whim of rapacious landlords, who are themselves part of the political class. Some of these residents have now had their votes stolen as well. Kenya requires a solution that restores social harmony and cohesion. A political understanding between party leaders is necessary, but not sufficient. Without sider social harmony, life for most of Kenya’s people will become even more intolerable. The poorest attack their equally poor neighbours and set fire to the little they have in common not because they hate these targets in themselves but because they see no other adequate way to express their grievances…”
Civil unrest stems from a desperation bred by a lack of basic necessities. Throughout history hungry, unemployed groups who lack the infrastructure necessary for self sustainment have been the most likely to violently rise up against political oppression. The events in Kenya should act as a reminder that the first and most important requisite for social harmony is a fair, healthy economy.
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