Kenyans have raised concerns after the government announced that they will set aside millions of shillings for a national dress that will represent Kenya.
While appearing before Parliament on Thursday, Culture, Arts and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir, said that they’re hoping to receive Ksh 100 Million to kickstart the process.
According to Dr. Kiprop Lagat, Director of Culture in the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, the money will facilitate public participation, design, do national validation and market the national dress.
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“A national dress is an attire that is recognized by the citizens of a country as a dress that encapsulates the national diversity, national identity and the civilization of a country that enhances national pride cohesion and also embeds the values and ethos of a nation.”
According to Ummi Bashir, there was a previous Ksh.50 million that was spent for the National dress but the project flopped because it was a boardroom decision that was forced down the throats of Kenyans without involving them.
“It was a boardroom decision without engaging the end users and stakeholders. For a change we are now involving counties, different designers in order to come up with the best design,” said Bashir justifying the Ksh 100 Million allocation.
However, Kenyans have questioned the priority of the budgetary allocation towards the project that they feel that is of no urgency in an economy that is currently facing hardships due to lack of funds in government.
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Kenyans took to social media to ask the government to channel the funds to stalled projects and other important sectors that need funding instead of “concentrating on non essentials.”