Kenya: Stateless no more; song, dance as Makonde community gets Kenyan citizenship
Published: 24/Mar/2017
Source: K24 TV
By Munira Mandano
The Makonde community has officially become Kenya’s 43rd tribe after being affirmed as Kenyan citizens in an event that was marked in song and dance.
A celebratory mood engulfed Makongeni area, Kilifi county, where enthusiastic men, women and children from the community originally from Mozambique, came together to rejoice over the rare feat of acquiring Kenyan citizenship.
This comes two months after the government finally granted them citizenship rights which they remained without for decades. Officials from both national and county governments as well as human rights activists graced the occasion which was officiated by the Coast Regional Coordinator, Nelson Marwa.
Not even the sweltering Coastal heat that hit hard on March 23 could deter the celebrants from revelling in delight of becoming Kenya’s 43rd tribe after a painstaking struggle for recognition, spanning several decades.
President Uhuru Kenyatta issued the Makonde community with 1,176 IDs, 1,731 birth certificates and 1,496 citizenship documents in February. The move came after the President hosted a delegation of 300 members of the Makonde at State House, Nairobi, in October, last year.