Mashujaa Day
| Mashujaa Day | |
|---|---|
| Also called | Heroes' Day |
| Observed by | Kenya |
| Date | 20 October |
| Next time | 20 October 2017 |
| Frequency | annual |
Mashujaa Day, also known as Heroes' Day ("mashujaa" is Swahili for "heroes"), is a national day in Kenya, which is observed on 20 October as a public holiday to collectively honour all those who contributed towards the struggle for Kenya's independence or positively contributed in the post independence Kenya. It was previously known as Kenyatta Day, which was celebrated to commemorate the detention in Kapenguria of freedom fighters Achieng' Oneko, Bildad Kaggia, Fred Kubai, Jomo Kenyatta, Kung'u Karumba and Paul Ngei, often referred to as the Kapenguria Six. However, following the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya in August 2010, Kenyatta Day was renamed.
Kenya marks Mashujaa Day on Tuesday, October 20, in honour of heroes who struggled for independence from colonial rule.
Mashujaa is a Kiswahili word for heroes and the national holiday serves as a reminder of outstanding Kenyan men and women who have positively contributed to the country's history.
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Initially, October 20 was known as Kenyatta Day, a national holiday in honour of the country's first president Jomo Kenyatta.
However, after the promulgation of the constitution in August 2010, it was renamed Mashujaa Day.
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Here are pictures of freedom fighters some of whom were jailed, tortured and killed in the fight against colonialism:
By 1920 all African men leaving their reserves were required by law to carry a pass, or kipande, that recorded a person's name, fingerprint, ethnic group, past employment history, and current employer's signature. Image/Courtesy
Kenyan troops served with distinction in Burma. Once the war was over Kenyans saw their land given to white soldiers from England while they were forced into slums like Kibera. Image/BlackHistoryWalks
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Mau Mau is a term used to describe Kenyans who fought against British rule in the 1950s for land and political freedom. The Mau Mau used a campaign of ritualised oath-taking to gain support. Image/Daily Mail
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