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{
    "id": 1087205,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1087205/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 224,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve)",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "to the late President Jomo Kenyatta’s office to advice on his thoughts that there is need to have a symbol that will be neutral. KADU dismissed him and thought it was a laughable issue; that Kenya would not be independent. Then the journey for the national flag started. A team of five people were assigned to come up with a national anthem and the national flag. Kibukosya was among the team of five and they decided on the colours. The colours are symbolic. When you look at the flag we see black. It represents the people of Kenya. When we look at white it represents peace. When we look at red it represents the blood that we shed. That time was thorny for Kenya. We did not have our independence. That is why the team decided to come up with these colours that were symbolic. These colours are symbolic because they always remind us that as a country, we must be one. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, these colours and the National Anthem should be there for posterity. When you look at countries all over the world, you will find their national anthem and flags represent something. When we talk of the national anthem, the flag, and all these symbols, it started with Britain in 1895. It was the first country to originate this and it came up with the words “God save the Queen.” It was sung during national and royal functions, and so on, and so forth. Our flag is raised in institutions of learning every Monday and Friday. If you go to primary schools, secondary schools and other institutions, you will find that our flag is being raised. This is just to remind Kenyans that we are one thing. We fought for Independence, and we must move forward as a nation. The flag has been symbolic from 1963. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I support Sen. (Dr.) Zani that there is need to ensure that we protect our heritage for posterity and to ensure that the flags are not tampered with. The national flag has meaning, both for the national and county governments. The county government flags may change, but the national one has meaning from 1963 when Kenya got its Independence. It reminds us that we are now free and are not in the hands of our colonizers. We are free as a country. If we do not protect this, it means that someone can just decide that they are coming up with a flag, but will it have meaning like the original flag that we have? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is need for us to remind ourselves the symbol that the colours of our flag portray. It reminds us of the history of Kenya. We shed blood, and because of that blood we got freedom. We are black people, and because we wanted our Independence, we fought for it from the Europeans, and we were eventually able to get our freedom. The white symbolizes that as a nation, we should always remember our history and be at peace. That is why I say that when we hear of violence, as Kenyans, we should look at our flag and say that enough is enough. The violence that we had during the Post-Election Violence (PEV) cannot be compared to the blood that was shed before 1963 when we were under the colonial masters. It was terrible. So many people lost their lives and were jailed. They suffered, and then we became free. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is need for us to ensure that we salvage our national flag and the anthem. We should ensure that even children who are born now and The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}