The WaBenzi Tribe

The WaBenzi Tribe of Africa

You have heard of a new tribe being discovered here or there in some far corner of the world such as in the Amazon Basin or the hidden recesses of the jungles of the Congo. In the 60’s one such tribe emerged mostly in the cities and capitals of the newly independent nations of Africa. Some say that the tribe was actually started by Colonizers from France, Belgium and England. They are commonly referred to as the WaBenzis. The tribe has no national boundary and nor is there any specific geographic location. They can be found from the Cape up to Accra, from Lagos to Nairobi. They can be readily identified by driving a late model Mercedes Benz (WaBenzi is a Swahili term and means the tribe that drives Mercedes Benz) or BMW, in some cases they will be driving their second car a Pajero or Range Rover which is kept for going on safaris (vacation trips) or for going shopping at the market. Their dress consists of the finest western clothes, ample jewelry to decorate their hands, wrists and necks and most likely will speak French or English. Their children will often go abroad to the finest schools in England or France and only speak either English or French but not their mother tongue.

I was driving home on a sunny day in Uganda. My ancient Toyota was barely making it along Kampala Avenue. Just as I swiping another cockroach off the passenger seat’ which made it up from the recesses of the old station wagon, the light at Entebbe Road turned red.

In front of me was a classic Mercedes Benz Sports Car, a convertible at that. In it sat a man in a tan suit, sunglasses with that mirrored look, gazing straight ahead at the light, which he found an annoyance judging by his body language. To the side of him on a small, concrete, island was a picture of contrast…a beggar, with twisted arms and hands, his legs just dangling useless behind him as he attempted to reach up with twisted hand toward the car and ask for some money. The man in the sporty Mercedes Benz, in the fine clothes and I am sure a fine house with lots of food, fine family, lots of bank accounts ignored the man. He simply stared ahead and then snarled something at the beggar. In actuality he might have been of the same tribe as the beggar, a Mugandan and able to speak the same mother tongue, Luganda, but now he had arrived, he was a WaBenzi and had forgotten what poverty was like, had left his roots behind, he had not time for a stinking, crippled beggar in rags.

In Africa, more so than in other areas of the world, the rich get richer and poor become poorer. The disparity between the two is on the increase year after year. Before my eyes was the evidence of just that. The leaders of Africa just as the rich man in his red Mercedes convertible think of amassing more and more, adding houses and cars, land and businesses, bank accounts all over the world. More must be better and never is lots, enough. One of the sad realities is that there is a lack of leaders who care, who show compassion and grace to those who have not joined the party and live in abject poverty, have a short life, have no medical care to speak of and simply live in terms of the next meal.

The light changed to green. The red Mercedes moved out, I chugged along and followed, thinking about power, wealth, rich African leaders who use people to gain things like houses, cars, property and wealth, instead of using things in order to help people gain their dreams for a better life. One can look around in Africa and see that most leaders are or were there for power and accumulation of wealth, Mobuto, Amin, Obote, Moi, Mugabe, men who want people to serve them as exalted, untouchable leaders, losing sight as to why they are Presidents, leaders, politicians and the life.

Thomas Hobbes wrote three centuries ago “that there is no valid reason for sovereigns to desire to oppress their subjects, for the strength of sovereigns is directly dependent upon the strength and well-being of their subjects.” What I have seen in Africa is a hunger for freedom by the average person, for economic freedom and liberty, for a chance to become, for empowerment. Yet the reality in much of Africa is one bribes…of paying off, of having to belong to the right group and or gender. Yet Africans retain their tremendous sense of humor. A young Kenyan College Student, Eric Wainaina performed in the summer of 2001 at the Kenya Music festival, with Vice President Saitoti in attendance, the song he sang caused quite a stir ''Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo '' which means roughly translated “A Little Something”, all he was doing was to give a popular voice to the problem of corruption and causing fed-up Kenyans to take action, since his song title kitu kidogo are some of the most often used words by those in power. One will also hear chai, yes that is tea, but also a little treat such as money. The festival organizers tried to wave him off, tried to stop him, but to no avail. The Vice President, the recipient of much of a “little something” was most likely not amused. I wish I had been there, I wonder what President Moi would have done if he had been in the audience…I am sure he would have not bought a CD of the song…hmmm.

There are leaders that reflect what Thomas Hobbs wrote centuries ago, people who lead with the people in mind. Nelson Mandela was such a servant leader. He assumed leadership of the divided country of South Africa and surprised all, his critics and his supporters alike. Africa needs more leaders who reject the WaBenzi tribal customs of using people and become African men and women who serve the people that they lead in an empowering fashion. The strong men of Africa, the big men are dying out, moving on, in exile or retiring. The Mobutu’s, Amin’s, Mugabe’s, Moi’s, Kibaki's will soon be something to look back on and hopefully it is an indication that the WaBenzi tribe is also on its way out.

As we go through life, there are certain images that are little tattooed on our heart and minds. The image of the beggar with his disfigured limbs and the rich man in his Mercedes, never casting a glance at the man beneath him, not recognizing his existence, has remained with me and will do so for some time to come…It taught me that we possess the things we let go off, not the things that we try to hold on too. Keeping a fist in life is painful, whereas letting go makes one free. Grasping makes us tight and uptight, even if we are driving a Mercedes…we can never enjoy it…jon

Inside of the Great Mystery that is,
We don't really own anything.

What is this competition we feel then,
Before we go, one at a time, through the same gate?

Rumi

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The WaBenzi Tribe of Africa

Living with death and celebrating life in Africa: Life in Africa is rather short compared to the west. There is this celebration of the moment that takes nothing for granted but one celebrates the now in East Africa.