Nairobi, 2 June 2022: The President of the Republic of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta has given a state address celebrating Madaraka day.
This happened at the Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Kenya. Madaraka day which falls on the 1st of June celebrates the formation of the first indigenous government of Kenya.
The History of Madaraka Day
The first prime minister of the Kenyan government was Jomo Kenyatta. The President added that self-rule is not the same as independence. However, Madaraka was the first hurdle in the independence struggle. It was only six months following Madaraka that independence was attained on 12th December 1963.
The president also called Uhuru grounds a “hallowed ground” as he holds the gardens in high esteem. “Why do I call Uhuru grounds a hallowed ground? I do so because our founding fathers wanted us to celebrate this ground as a camp of Martyrs and the birthplace of a nation. A place of remembrance, healing, and renewal.” Kenyatta also mentioned that the price of liberating a nation is not equal to the price of growing the nation.
What Achievements Has the Kenyan Government Made?
Kenyatta has also mentioned some notable achievements of the Kenyan government under his administration. Under his administration, the Democratic Republic of Congo was finally admitted into the East African Community(EAC). This has resulted in the growth of the EAC by 90 million people. The market now has a total of 300 million people with exclusive opportunities for Kenyan businesses.
Moreover, the president also stated that Kenya remains ahead in the cooperative multilateral order according to its United Nations Security Council membership. Another success includes the provision of clean water to 13 million Kenyans.
Kenyatta also adds that the opportunities for Kenyans in the diaspora have increased and the diaspora remittances have increased ten times standing at over 400 billion Kenyan shilling in 2021. He added that through Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), the government was able to build 29 new hospitals in an informal settlement. All this during a 100-day time frame. Kenyatta also pardoned 3908 prisoners today in response to recommendations from the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee.
