Nairobi — President Uhuru Kenyatta is on Friday expected to preside over the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) consecration, presentation, and trooping of colours by the 21 Battalion, the Kenya Rifles.
The military event will take place at the Ulinzi Sports Complex – Lang’ata.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has since announced the temporal closure of the Wilson Airport from 10 am to 4 pm to pave way for the Ceremony.
According to the military, the colour stands for the honour accorded to the Unit or Base, thus, it’s a well-guarded and treasured possession, since its loss might lead to the disbandment of a Unit or the Base.
When a Unit is designated to troop its Colour, it becomes an honour to the Regiment as it is now able to showcase its Colour in a ceremony known as “Trooping of Colour”.
The Colours embody the spirit of the Regiment and the exemplary service performed by a specific regiment.
The consecration and presentation of the Unit’s Colours to the Battalion mark the unit’s final milestone in its formation.
The Presidential Colour is trooped when a Unit or Base performs a national ceremony in which the Commander-in-Chief or Head State of a foreign Country is honoured with a military parade known as Guard of Honour.
The Regimental Colour is presented to a Unit or Base at the same time with the Presidential Colour and it is displayed whenever the Unit or the Base performs a ceremony for General Officers who are accorded Half Guard Parades whenever they pay a courtesy visit.
Both 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 whereby the Queen’s Colour, a symbol of sovereignty, would be showcased in an elaborate ceremony.
After independence, the presidential and regimental colours replaced those of the Queen.