Kenya's national dress to be unveiled in 2024

By Peter Ochieng

Various players in government are burning the midnight oil behind the scenes, in a bid to ensure that a national dress is unveiled in a year's time.

Speaking during Utamaduni (culture) Day celebrations at the Bomas of Kenya, Ummi Bashir, Arts and Heritage Principal Secretary said the plan will be actualized by October 10th, 2024.

“Kenya does not have a national dress, do we? That is something that we are working on and we promise that by next Utamaduni Day, we will consult and we vow to at least have a Kenyan national dress by then,” Bashir said.

The event was graced by First Lady Rachael Ruto, with Moses Kuria, the new Cabinet Secretary (CS), Ministry of Public Service, Delivery and Performance and Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet being among those in attendance.

Koskei echoed Bashir’s sentiments, expressing the government’s commitment to the success of the national dress project.

“I assure you that we will work day and night to ensure that next time we shall have a national dress,” he said.

Kuria on his part said the country will start commercialising its traditional knowledge.

“Those foreign people who have been coming here rating our artefacts, rating our emblems of heritage, our shanga, Maasai culture, we are saying now, because we are protected by international laws and conventions, that is going to be a thing of the past," stated the vocal CS.

"Even to photograph a Maasai now you have to pay and you pay in US dollars.”

Under the old constitution, Kenyans marked Moi Day every October 10th, in respect of Kenya's second president Daniel Arap Moi.

The late Moi ruled for 24 years, until 2022 when he retired. Moi Day was later changed to Huduma Day, before transition to Utamaduni Day.