Bestowing citizenship on Shona tribe welcome

A section of members of Shona community whose origin is Zimbabwe celebrate at the Gospel of God Church in Nairobi on December 12, 2020 after President Uhuru Kenyatta recognised their community as a tribe in Kenya. [Collins Kweyu,Standard]

The State recognition of the Shona tribe at the 57th Jamhuri Day celebration is commendable. It was the second such after the 2017 recognition of the Makonde and Hindu as Kenya’s 43rd and 44th tribes respectively.

The Makonde came to Kenya from Mozambique in 1930s to work on sisal plantations at the Coast. After Kenya’s struggle for independence, those who had settled at the Coast opted to stay behind and their offspring have known no other home but Kenya.