Meru County Assembly has become the first county to pass a Heroes and Heroines Awards Bill that will award members of the Ameru community and celebrate local heroes.
According to the new county law, members of the community found to have displayed high levels of courage and integrity will receive the highest award dubbed Order of Koome Njue (OKN) and be referred to as Distinguished Elder of Ameru, Distinguished Son of Ameru and Distinguished Daughter of Ameru.
The award is named after the community's hero Koome Njue, a legend who is said to have rescued the Amiiru from Mbua and led them in crossing the Red Sea.
Those who receive the award will be required to have the initials OKN as a designation to their names, much like they would for a presidential award.
[caption caption="Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi accompanied by county assembly speaker Joseph Kaberia"]
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The second highest award will be the Order of Muue that will honour those who have been able to attain iconic achievements from the community.
Those awarded will have special sitting arrangements during every public function held within the county such as national holiday celebrations.
The MCAs agreed to have members of the public participate in selecting those to be awarded from among farmers, teachers, doctors and media people among other professionals.
Muthara MCA Moses Kinyua, a proponent of the new law, explained that the law would work to motivate the people of the county to aspire to impact other people's lives positively.
On the same breath, the ward representative noted that street names such as "Moi Street"; ought to be changed to honour heroes and heroines from the community.
"We will abolish street names such as Moi Street and recognise our heroes such as General Mwariama and General Baimungi and write about them in our books so that their stories can inspire our children to good," he stated.
[caption caption="MCAs at the Meru County Assembly during a past sitting"]
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