NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – President Mwai Kibaki will on Thursday lead the nation in commemorating the second Mashujaa day celebrations at the Nyayo national stadium, amid tight security.
The President is scheduled to arrive at the venue at 11am to witness celebrations punctuated by marches-past from a detachment of the Kenya Defense Forces and a fly past by the Kenya Air Force airplanes.
Police said there would be tight security at the venue and everyone entering the stadium would be subjected to a thorough screening.
Nairobi Police Boss Anthony Kibuchi told Capital Newsbeat on Thursday morning that every vehicle will undergo a security check and hawking would not be allowed.
“Everybody will undergo security checks and will be screened and every vehicle will be searched regardless of owners’ status,” he said.
Kibuchi also announced that Aerodrome Road and a section of Lang’ata road would be closed off to help control movements, urging motorists to follow traffic directions given to them by officers on the ground.
“Generally, I appeal to members of the public to co-operate with security forces in Nyayo Stadium and every part of the Nairobi County,” he urged.
Owing to the poor treatment of Kenya’s heroes in the past, the government has formulated a bill to identify, honour and support national heroes.
On Wednesday, the President and Prime Minister unveiled a statue in honour of the late Tom Mboya next to the National Archives. The statue was unveiled a few meters from where Mboya was gunned down in 1969. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka was also present at the ceremony.
“Mboya was a renowned statesman who played the frontline role in the social, economic and political sphere of our national endeavour,” said the President in a speech.
A section of the public who were interviewed by Capital Newsbeat meanwhile said that heroes must be given the respect they deserve.
“Our heroes have been forgotten; they die in abject poverty yet they are the ones who fought for our independence,” said one man.
“To be honest, our government has not done enough to honour our heroes. We may build statues in their honour but their families continue suffering in poverty,” said another.
Some of those interviewed also mentioned the late Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai as a heroine, who was only honoured in death.
“If you relate with what happened to Maathai you will realise that the government does not take care of local heroes and heroines. She did so much in this country but was not given enough credit,’ said one of the interviewees.