Nakuru County Assembly will amend its Standing Orders to allow the 78 ward reps to wear “Made in Kenya” outfits on Wednesdays to support the local textile industry.
Speaker Joel Maina Kairu, in a communication to House on Wednesday, said that the move will support Jubilee’s manufacturing pillar of the Big Four agenda and create employment as advocated by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Nakuru becomes the first county assembly out of the 47 to initiate the process of amending Standing Orders on locally made attire for MCAs. Mr Kairu promised to meet the assembly leadership to deliberate on the matter.
KENYAN ATTIRE
“President Uhuru Kenyatta has encouraged us to buy Kenya to build Kenya, we are considering Wednesdays to be a day of wearing Kenyan attire,” said Mr Kairu.
In June, while presiding over the reopening of Rivatex in Eldoret, President Kenyatta urged all public servants to wear Kenyan made garments to boost the local textile industry. Mr Kairu said the assembly leadership shall give direction on the Kenyan attire to be worn in the House.
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“We need to have well-dressed MCAs, we will ensure they wear Kenyan attire,” said Mr Kairu who also clarified that the Speaker and acting speakers will wear the normal House attire during the session. Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja said it is hard to define the Kenyan attire.
He said the new directive has cost implications. “It will be costly but it is a move in the right direction,” said Mr Karanja.
PATRIOTISM
Mr Douglas Ayabei (Mariashoni) said the assembly is ready to pay any price of patriotism. “We are going to pay any cost to acquire the Kenyan attire,” said Mr Ayabei.
Ms Irene Chebichi (Soin) said: “I believe from next week we should start wearing the attire.”
Mr Isaac Wahome Jambo said Nakuru is the face of Kenya and this should be reflected in the House.
“The ward reps should not complain of the cost because that is the price of patriotism,” said Mr Jambo.
Mr Philip Wanjohi (Lare) said the MCAs should wear locally made attire because it would make them patriots.
However, Mr Kairu said that the traditional African open shoes popularly known as akala will not be allowed in the House.