This week Kenya celebrates its 55 years of independence. The ceremony will be held at Nyayo national stadium on Wednesday.
But do Kenyans really know the meaning of Jamhuri Day, or no one cares as long as they have one free day to rest and maybe visit girlfriends.
Long time ago, we used to learn about these holidays in our history classes. But no one cares anymore since cheating in exams became a norm.
Any way, Jamhuri day is set aside to commemorate then day Kenya gained independence. Jamhuri is a Swahili word that means Republic. We celebrate Jamhuri Day in Kenya on the 12 December every year. Madaraka Day is celebrated on the 1st June of every year to honor the day Kenya attained internal self-rule.
There has been a constant evolution of holidays in Kenya. Some of which are irrelevant. The two are basically celebrating the same thing but hey, we need a distinct day for each feat.
For example, very few people care to know the difference or similarity between Madaraka Day and Jamhuri Day. Why? Because the only thing that matters is the free time to rest from the daily toil. The two are basically celebrating the same thing but hey, Kenya needs a distinct day for each feat.
That would be perfectly okay if the common Mwananchi understood all this perfectly. Having one major celebration for independence will save funds and clear some dust on understanding.