NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 27 – As Kenya marks three years after the signing of the National Accord more than 4,500 staffers from Nakumatt Holdings chain of supermarkets will on Monday afternoon join other Kenyans to pray for the nation by way of reciting the National Anthem.
In a rare show of patriotism and national pride, Nakumatt Holdings staff and customers at all its 28 branches countrywide will momentarily take a break to recite the National Anthem at 1pm to pray for unity and God’s blessing for all Kenyans.
Speaking when he confirmed the firm’s participation in the Kenya Feb 28 initiative, Nakumatt Holdings Managing Director Atul Shah said the firm will be joining all Kenyans of goodwill to pray for unity and social cohesion.
The Nakumatt boss noted the public recital of a national anthem is the highest show of national pride and patriotism that a citizen can engage in.
“As a leading local corporate which is sincerely Kenyan at heart, we have accepted the request to pray for our beloved nation by reciting the national anthem on February 28th at 1pm in all our branches countrywide and salute the youthful organisers for such a worthy cause,” Mr Shah explained.
“Such unity fostering non-political aligned initiatives need to be encouraged at homes, offices and even workplaces to enable Kenya foster national unity and cohesion as embodied in our national anthem.”
According to one of the initiative organisers Ms Allison Ngibuini, in the face of ethnic polarisation, a highly politicised atmosphere and the daily search for daily bread, it is sometimes easy for all of us to forget what binds us together, that we are Kenyan and that we are strongest when united.
In this perspective, a group of Kenyans, of diverse interests, political affiliations, tribes, religions and economic backgrounds have agreed to come together on February 28th 2011 and take a few minutes at exactly 1pm (East African Time) to sing the three verses of the National Anthem.
“On this occasion, Kenyans come together, not to protest against anything but to stand for unity,” she explained.
“The idea is simple; wherever we are, whatever we are doing at exactly 1pm on February 28th, Kenyans from all walks of life, will pause and sing the national anthem, led by participating media houses, church choirs, community choirs, school children, and musicians. This is an initiative that belongs to Kenyans: aimed at uniting us under the banner of our National Anthem.”
The Kenya National Rugby Sevens team among other national organisations will also be taking part in this first of a kind initiative.
