The state is set to honor a record 142 heroes during this year’s Mashujaa Day amid plans to activate the National Heroes Fund.
The fund, currently inactive, was established in 2014 to accord financial assistance to the heroes and their dependents.
Culture and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir said the ministry is keen to activate the fund and assist the candidates.
The fund is awaiting development of regulations necessary to operationalize it. The PS said the 142 heroes to be unveiled by President William Ruto on Sunday were selected after thorough vetting.
Last year, a total of 157 heroes were awarded. This year’s heroes are from 14 categories including sports, philanthropy, statesmanship and indigenous cultures. Some heroes will be feted posthumously.
The nominees are people who have made various contributions and undertook exemplary acts to change lives for the benefit of the society. Some have risked their lives for the benefit of communities and their actions may have been recognized globally.
In an interview with the Star, Ummi said the government will for the first time push for allocation of resources to support the heroes in their day-to-day lives. “Apart from the normal certificates and recognition, we owe a lot to our heroes and we are looking at activating the National Heroes Fund which should be able to support them and their families,” she said.
Currently, heroes, apart from being awarded commendation certificates and medals, may have symbolic tombs, monuments and statues build in their honor where necessary.
Some may be lucky to have books published that depict their respective roles in the country’s history. According to the PS, the 142 names were subjected to a robust and transparent sieving exercise that gave fair opportunities for all the applicants.
“A member of the public, an organization, a group of persons or an institution can nominate suitable person(s) to be recommended for declaration as heroes,” she said.
On receipt of the nomination, the council evaluates the nomination in accordance to a criteria provided for in the First Schedule of the Kenya Heroes Act, No. 5 of 2014.
The names of all proposed persons are then published in at least two newspapers of national circulation for members of the public to provide their representations.
A final list of names of persons confirmed as qualified to be declared as heroes is forwarded to the President for declaration in the Kenya Gazette
