National dress: White elephant of the fabric variety.

Where did Kenyas first-ever national dress disappear to? The government sunk fifty million shillings into a project to search for a national dress that would reflect the countrys image and identity. But five years after the national dress was launched by the then National Heritage minister Najib Balala, it is not visible anywhere. This could be a white elephant of the fabric variety.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• NATIONAL
• DRESS

[penzoyle]

a dress will be embraced when we become proud of ourselves. kenyas love foreign things. listen to the language we communicate in. we cant even make a complete sentence in kiswahili.

[pokot2002]

sometimes goverment do stupid stuff,no one think of very important ideas anymore.u spend 20,000,000,000shs in clothing instead of helping families that was affected by clashes.irrigation,electric in order to avoid power rationing.

[kushotto]

Kenyan textile industries are closing down.We will end up importing materials we already have locally.Who will benefit if we really end up with a kenyan 'arab robe'outfit?Is under pants part of the kenyan outfit?I wonder!

[daddycliff]

If Kenya wants a national dress, it should popularize what the Maasais wear.There is nothing Kenyan in the outfits that qualified as national dresses as they all look West African. The adopted Kiswahili as the national language from the Swahili people at the coast, it will be equally easy and authentic to adopt the most culturally prominent outfit in the country from the Maasais in Riftvalley. In fact westerners already identify the maasai outfit with Kenyan, yet it was missing as a qualifier.

[rodgiem]

A well done job Amimo

[rodgiem]

This is a great observation.

[siasabora]

hata huwezi pita airport security na nguo kama hizi, 'utaonwa kando' , ngojea next flight....lol

[Swekha]

I think it was a noble quest especially with Raila on one end and Wangari Maathai on the other. Isn't that what unity is all about? especially at this time after the election violence? Mr Patrick Amimo needs to do his research....unilever spent 50 million not the government!! That, 'no one wears it anymore'....give me a break, bwana amimo. I prefer wearing my national dress to events, especially global events, rather than suits and ties. As the wahengas said, 'Akosaye mila........'

[chaimoto]

this is the stupidest thing so far. while you are at it, come up with kenyan cars, kenyan computers, kenyan everything western. spend your energies in eliminating illiteracy and ignorance. stupid idea. we think like chickens

[BOZOPUSSYCAT]

Tribalism and politics aside. When foreigners think of kenya, they think of the maasai dress, their jewellary, and mythical tall warriors with supernatural abilities. Excellent marketing tool, stands out, and can't be replicated like 'Hakuna matata' by south africa.