Today is Mashujaa Day, a public holiday in Kenya. Mashujaa is Swahili for ‘Heroes’ and as such Mashujaa Day is also known as Heroes’ Day. It is a public holiday to honor all Kenyans who have contributed towards the struggle for Kenya’s independence.
This holiday used to be known as Kenyatta Day, named after Jomo Kenyatta, who was first Prime Minister and then President of Kenya. Kenyatta was a prominent campaigner for the independence of Kenya from British rule. He was arrested in October 1952 along with five others (Achieng’ Oneko, Bildad Kaggia, Fred Kubai, Kung’u Karumba and Paul Ngei) on charges of being members of the Mau Mau Society, a movement engaged in rebellion against Kenya’s British rulers. The accused were known as the ‘Kapenguria Six’.
When Kenya adopted a new constitution in August 2010, several changes were made to the public holidays observed in Kenya and Kenyatta Day was renamed to Mashujaa Day and the focus of the day was widened to include all those who contributed to the independence of Kenya.
Star Trek
Today is the birthday, in 1951, of Alan Greenwood, keyboards, with English-American rock band Foreigner, who scored the 1985 UK & US No.1 single ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’. They are one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time with worldwide sales of more than 80 million records. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySb1f9zWJkQ
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