EMBU BISHOP: MPS WANT TO KEEP 'EM POOR & IGNORANT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 002385

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017
TAGS: KE PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: EMBU BISHOP: MPS WANT TO KEEP 'EM POOR & IGNORANT

Classified By: PolCouns Andre for reasons 1.4 B & D.


1. (C) Summary: The Bishop of Embu Diocese maintains that
Mbere District's Members of Parliament purposely undermine
efforts to raise educational standards and to develop the
economy of the area so as to keep the population poor,
dependent and easily manipulated. They also stymie projects
with which they are not personally associated. This is much
less the case in neighboring Embu district, which is more
educated and developed. He expressed great concern about the
growing khat trade in the region. End Summary.


2. (U) PolCouns recently met with the Catholic Bishop of the
Embu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Antony Muheria, to discuss the social
and political dynamics of the central region of Kenya's
Eastern Province. The diocese covers the Embu and Mbere
districts, which are the home regions of the Embu and Mbere
communities. Together, the two groups make up about four
percent of Kenya's population. These two ethnic groups are
closely related and politically aligned with their Kikuyu
neighbors. They overwhelmingly support the Kikuyu-led
government of Mwai Kibaki.


3. (U) The Embu occupy the south slopes of Mount Kenya. The
land is very fertile and well watered. Their Mbere cousins,
who are essentially lowland Embu, live in the relatively
parched lands below them. The Embu are much better educated
and considerably better off than the Mbere. The Provincial
Commissioner for Eastern Province pointed out to PolCouns
that the disparity in upland/lowland economic and social
conditions are a source of tension in the region.


4. (U) Bishop Mutheria emphasized that he spends most of his
time on social and economic development issues, concentrating
on the poorer Mbere district. The diocese is about 40%
Catholic, the remainder being Protestant. There is a small
Muslim community in Embu town, which is well integrated into
Embu society and which enjoys cordial, cooperative relations
with the region's other faiths.


5. (C) The Bishop alleged that Mbere district's Members of
Parliament are the greatest impediment to increasing economic
development and educational opportunities in the area. "The
Mbere are desperately poor and so are easily manipulated.
Their MPs do not want to change this. They like to keep
their constituents dependent on them for handouts." The
Bishop spoke of secular aid groups leaving the district in
frustration when their development projects are undermined
through the interference of MPs and their representatives in
the district. He said, "we are here for the long haul so our
development programs must take this reality into
consideration. We find ways to cajole, convert or embarrass
MPs and their political networks into not opposing our
programs." To this end, the Bishop often speaks out in
public fora to bring pressure to bear on recalcitrant local
politicians and officials to support new schools, the
introduction of alternative crops to replace khat (such as
aloe vera),tree planting and the curbing of charcoal
production. The Bishop cited another motivation for the MPs'
opposition to some development efforts as a desire to ensure
that only projects with which they are personally associated
go forward. They do not wish to see competing sources of
influence flourish. "At times we agree to let them take some
credit for our projects."


6. (U) The Bishop is passionately opposed to khat cultivation
and trade. The crop was introduced some years ago. Its
cultivation is now expanding rapidly. "Young boys drop out
of school because they can make money growing the drug. They
then get hooked on it themselves and progress to harder
drugs." Several interlocutors in the area regaled PolCouns
with lurid stories about khat-addled youths and khat-fueled
truck drivers transporting the crop to market. Some local
MPs, he alleged, use idle youth involved in the khat trade
for "political violence and intimidation."


7. (SBU) The Bishop believes the answer to the region's
issues lies in education and economic development. "All
Mbere's problems are present in Embu, but to a much lesser
degree. The difference is that the Embu are better educated
and less poor. They are not so easily manipulated as the

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Mbere and so make better choices."

RANNEBERGER