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THE CLASH OF IDEOLOGIES IN AFRICA: KENYA

by David J. Jonsson

As Kenya braced itself for a fourth week of post-election unrest and violence resulting from the continuing standoff between President Mwai Kibaki and the opposition leader, Raila Odinga it is worthwhile to explore in depth the causes and the players as more live are lost.

Although, the propaganda being put out by the press considers the events the result of vote counting, tribal conflicts and ethnic cleansing, deeper issues exist concerning the Clash of Ideologies between Muslims and Christians. The funding for the Clash has origins resulting from foreign government funding of mosques, charity and investment.

Islamic governments have targeted Kenya as a key element in the spread of Islam in Horn of Africa and ultimately the world. The Kenyan Diaspora including Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Hussein Obama has also played a part. The fall of Kenya into Islamist control would be devastating to anti-terrorist activities in the Horn of Africa, not to mention the potential for expansion of a caliphate. One has to ask, how fast will Kenya go Islamic and apply Shariah law?

I have worked and traveled in the Christian and Muslim countries of Africa for more than 30 years. I have witnessed first hand apartheid in South Africa, the transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, coups in Nigeria and Sudan, the rise of Al Qaeda, the growth of the Muslim Brotherhood and other key events. In spite of witnessing all these events, I believe that the recent events Kenya stand out as a watershed event signaling emerging resurgence of Islam in Kenya and the beginning of the open Clash of Ideologies between the Muslims and Christians.

The events unfolding do not represent a Clash of Civilizations, ethnic issues or a race issue, the conflict is between Ideologies – Muslim vs. Judeo Christian Ideologies and between Leftist/Marxist authoritarian (Liberal Fascism vs. democratic free enterprise.)

The battles occurring in Kenya are a microcosm of the future battles that will occur in the West and the United States elections as we witness the growth of Leftist/Marxist – Islamist Alliance striving to achieve "Change" and create a New World Order leading the formation of global Islamic kingdom of God. Whether it is by economic means through the formation of Islamic finance and economics and acquisition of Western assets via the Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), military and political action, or terrorism, the goal is the same. The growth of Islamic Financial institutions and their Sovereign Wealth Funds applying Shariah law should be an early warning to this growing trend. See also: "Sovereign wealth rules"[1] Financial Times, January 21, 2008.

As Christopher Caldwell in his article "A feeble defence of our freedoms"[2] in the Financial Times of June 23, 2007 commented:

The Clash did not begin with the battles, terrorism and genocide following the election in December of last year. The preparation for the open Clash began as an Islamization movement in the 80's and 90's with the building of Mosques and Madrasses, the dispatch of fundamentalist Imams to Kenya and has moved into the open in 2008. It's been hard to escape the news of the horrific atrocities coming out of Kenya.

Recently we learned of children being torched, burnt alive in a Kenya church. In broad daylight, a crowd of Kenyans set a church filled with hundreds of terrified families on fire and listened to their screams as flames engulfed them.

The violence is the worst Kenya has witnessed since a failed coup in 1982. The media has been, shall we say obtuse, in describing the combatants, the murderers – what exactly is at play. It is interesting that Barak Obama should saddle up to the agitator – Raila Odinga aligned with Islam. However, Kenya's Muslim population crossed the Tipping Point ([3], where Muslims traditionally assert themselves and their Islamic law (shariah) on the poor, unsuspecting host country. In the November elections in the United States, like Kenya the Muslim vote may be the key Tipping Point in critical states, such as Michigan for the election of the next President. See also [4].

Islamic influence in the Kenyan government has increased considerably following massive pro-establishment voting by the largely Islamic Coastal and North Eastern provinces. Kenya is a predominantly Christian country. The CIA World Fact Book for Kenya[5] estimates the religions as Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2% but notes that a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely.

According to the article in ArabianBusiness.com: Islamic bank set to launch in Kenya,[6] Kenya's Muslim population is 26%, but there is a dearth of banking services that comply with Shariah. A consortium of investors including a Bank Muscat unit and Dubai government investment agency Istithmar will open an Islamic bank in Kenya this April. The bank will operated under Shariah law. "Africa is an attractive emerging market for growth of Islamic finance. There is a lot of liquidity in the Gulf and we are making a bridge between the two," said Abdul-Malik al-Khalili Chairman of Bank Muscat International (BMI). Istithmar is a fully owned by the Dubai government; they paid $1 billion for a 2.7% stake in London-based Standard Chartered in October.

Introduction of Islamic banking and associated Shariah law has been a major factor in the growth and acceptance of Islam and conversions to Islam in the countries where it is introduced. Up to ten years ago it was rare to see coverage of Islamic functions and festivals on the national television. Countries should take note when considering introduction of Sukuk Bond financing and building Islamic banking centers.

The men who manage the so-called sovereign wealth funds of the Persian Gulf for their governments are quickly becoming some of the world's most powerful money managers. The net foreign assets of Gulf Arab states are set to rise to more than $2,000bn by the end of this year on rocketing oil prices. I don't think we should have any illusions that their investment decisions are totally benign investments. Merrill Lynch said on January 15[7] that it would raise $6.6 billion from selling preferred shares to an investor group that included the Kuwait Investment Authority. Thus the investment is raising the issue of the future role of Islamic Finance and Shariah law on the U.S. financial institutions. It is important to note that the Sovereign Wealth Funds are ultimately tools of government for investment and political gain. See also [8].

The actions by foreign governments have led to the conversion to Islam of politicians. Much money has been coming into the country from places such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya and the Sudan. These countries would like to see Islam expand from the Horn of Africa throughout East Africa and possibly further. In addition to funneling the money into charitable organizations, the money has gone to national television programs to explain Islam and to line the pockets of politicians.

In addition to building mosques, other projects include the recently opened Iran clinic, which basically offers medical services for free. Such efforts are expected to make Islam a viable alternative to Christianity. Moreover, in targeting young educated urbanites for conversion, they hope to give Islam in Kenya a vital young look in the hope of luring the younger generation which is disillusioned by the myriad of schisms in Christianity.

The extension of existing mosques and the building of many new ones are thus the key to this growth in Muslim converts as these shrines will provide the space for the teaching of new converts.

3. Malcolm Gladwell,
http://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624

4. David J. Jonsson, "From the Mosque to the Schoolhouse to the White House," November 9, 2007, Global Politician,
http://www.globalpolitician.com/23697-islamism

6. http://abdullahharon.blogspot.com/2007/02/ islamic-bank-set-to-launch-in-kenya.html

8. David J. Jonsson, "Sovereign Wealth Funds: A Potential Tool of Asymmetric Warfare,"
http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/jonsson/08112007.htm

David J. Jonsson is the author of "Clash of Ideologies – The Making of the Christian and Islamic Worlds", Xulon Press 2005. His new book is "Islamic Economics and the Final Jihad: The Muslim Brotherhood to the Leftist/Marxist – Islamist Alliance" (Salem Communications (May 30, 2006). Trained as a physicist, his work for major corporations in the United States and Japan and with multilateral agencies brought him to more that fifteen countries with significant or majority populations who are Muslim. These exposures provided insight into the basic tenants of Islam as a political, economic and religious system. He became proficient in Islamic law (Shariah) through contract negotiation and personal encounter.

This article is the third of a series of articles on The Clash of Ideologies and Leftist/Marxist – Islamist Alliance. It appeared February 9, 2008 in the New Media Journal (US)
http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/jonsson/2008/02092008.htm