NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 12 — President William Ruto on Thursday presided over the Consecration, Presentation, and Trooping of the Colours by the Wajir Air Base (WAB).
The military event took place at the Uhuru Gardens Museum and National Monument, where Ruto led the nation in commemorating the 61st Jamhuri Day celebrations.
WAB is a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for the Kenya Air Force’s Rapid Deployment Squadron, a special forces unit within the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The unit is primarily tasked with the recovery of downed airmen in hostile territory. It is also capable of carrying out other specially assigned missions.
The ceremony began with the President inspecting a Guard of Honour mounted by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), including the Kenya Army, the Kenya Air Force (KAF), and the Kenya Navy, accompanied by the KDF Band.
Chief of Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, joined the Head of State.
Valued military tradition
According to military tradition, the Colours represent the honour accorded to a Unit or Base. They are a well-guarded and treasured possession, as their loss could lead to the disbandment of the Unit or Base.
When a Unit is designated to troop its Colour, it is a great honour for the Regiment, as it allows the Unit to showcase its Colours in a ceremony known as the “Trooping of the Colour.”
The Colours embody the spirit of the Regiment and commemorate the exemplary service rendered by a specific Unit or Base. The consecration and presentation of a Unit’s Colours mark the final milestone in its formation.
The Presidential Colour is trooped during national ceremonies in which the Commander-in-Chief or a Head of State from a foreign country is honoured with a Guard of Honour parade.
The Regimental Colour is presented to a Unit or Base simultaneously with the Presidential Colour and is displayed during ceremonies involving General Officers, who are accorded Half Guard Parades during courtesy visits.
Both the Presidential and Regimental Colours are carried by a commissioned officer and escorted by two armed senior non-commissioned officers.
The practice of “Trooping the Colour” originated in 17th-century England, where the Queen’s Colour, a symbol of sovereignty, was showcased in elaborate ceremonies.
Following Kenya’s independence, the Presidential and Regimental Colours replaced those of the Queen, reflecting the country’s sovereignty.
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