August 22, 2019, is Kenya's founding President Jomo Kenyatta's 41st anniversary since he passed on in his sleep at State House, Mombasa, in 1978.
Uhuru is the eldest son of Jomo with his youngest wife, Ngina Kenyatta, and here at Kenyans.co.ke, we are celebrating the pioneer by counting down similarities with his own son, who also became president.
The two are more alike than you think and here are four of the most striking similarities.
1. They both prefer the Swahili language.
One thing that Uhuru has never minced his words over is his love of the Swahili language, which is something that his father expressed many years ago.
During an address in 2013, the president revealed that he only spoke English because of his guests but would rather always speak Swahili.
“It is because of our guests that I choose to speak in the English language and not our tongue,” argued Uhuru.
His father had made the same disclosure years ago stating, "Brothers I think I have spoken enough in this language. It is not my wish that I should be speaking to you in a foreign, and for that matter colonialistic, language.”
2. Looks
The manner in which Uhuru takes after his father should officially document the two as the standard father and son goals that the country should look up to.
Uhuru flashes a round face with strong enough piercing eyes that proves he is his father's son and nothing can ever dispute that.
As Uhuru approaches retirement age, his appearance continues to manifest that he's a chip off the old block.
3. Non-Willingness to sign with countries that looked down upon Kenya
One thing President Kenyatta is known for, is his staunch stand on issues that rub him the wrong way and as it stands now, he got the trait off his father.
In 2013, at the peak of cases against him and his deputy William Ruto at The ICC, Uhuru made it clear that he would not placate those in the international community who turned their nose up at the continent.
“Africa has come of age. Africa seeks constructive partnerships. We will embrace partnerships based on mutual respect…We will not accept partnerships that do not recognise we also have the intellectual capacity to engage on equal terms.
“Africa has a voice and, 50 years after independence, Africa demands that its voice must be heard,” declared Uhuru.
Jomo had sent the same message during his inauguration speech, 50 years before, stating, "Some of them have misunderstood us and it’s only by our actions that they will know we mean business.”
4. Love for the bottle
As of now, many Kenyans are fully aware that the affairs of the bottle hold a special place in Uhuru's heart, as they did in that of his father.
This claim was cemented after the president publicly demanded a pricy gift, a bottle of scotch whiskey valued at Ksh 460,000, that the late Bob Collymore had preserved for him, but ended up being consumed by members of the late CEO's boys club.
Reports indicate that Jomo, on the other hand, loved whiskey so much that colonialists tried using it to kill him during his detention in Kapenguria.
Kenyatta was being provided with three bottles of Scotch every day, which he was consuming. The Brits hoped he would die of liver cirrhosis but did not.
Are you convinced that the two leaders have similarities?
