The word 'Harambee' may soon be eliminated from Kenya's Coat of Arms if a petition pending before Senate's Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights gets approved.
According to the petition, the word that features both in the Coat of Arms and the constitution has religious grounding as it originates from Hindu religion.
Isaac Aluochier, the petitioner, claims that "Harambee" is a praise to a Hindu goddess called Ambe hence its usage is an offence to other Kenyans that do not follow Hindu religion.
He further argues that the State and Religion should be separate as the constitution dictates. In this regard, he is of the opinion that the term should not be used as a state symbol and hence should be replaced with a more appropriate term.
Traditionally, the word Harambee, that is written on a scroll upon which the coat of arms rests, has been used in its Swahili context implying “pulling together” or “all for one”.
It has been regarded as the national motto and embodies the national spirit of cooperation and collective effort towards attaining a common good.
Other features in the Coat of Arms of Kenya include two lions that symbolize protection. The lions are holding spears and a shield common in traditional East African which symbolize unity and defence of freedom.
The shield at the center contains the national flag’s colours and bears a rooster holding an axe, traditionally denoting a new and prosperous life.
These features rest on the silhouette of Mount Kenya whose foreground contains a sample of Kenya's agricultural produce including coffee, tea, maize, pineapples, pyrethrum, and sisal.
The Coat of Arms features prominently on government-issued documents including passports, ID, Kenyan currency and state buildings such as courts and State House.
