The venture to identify a national dress is of no benefit to this country and is designed to reap huge financial gains for a select few. 

What Kenya needs today is a national health scheme that will enable access to health care by the majority. It needs a road network that will facilitate communication and connectivity across the country. It needs to revamp its agriculture, commerce, industry and athletics and, in so doing, create opportunities for millions of deprived people. 

There is a serious identity crisis in this country and it is hard to see how this will be cured by a national dress. We are a deeply insecure country with no standards and this needs to be addressed before we allow fashion merchants to make it worse.

In principle, Kenyatta and Moi understood what it took to evolve nationhood. It takes the involvement of each and every member of the community in daily ventures that are relied on for the livelihood, survival and future of the community. The success rate of these ventures determines and builds widespread societal traits such as dress codes. The success rate of these ventures evolves identity. 

The drive in Kenya should be towards building on the foundations laid by Kenyatta and Moi. This will ultimately evolve a Kenyan national dress. A nation true to its people and ideals determines what it wears. Fashion merchants do not determine a nation, because a nation is much more than a national dress. 

MICHAEL MUNDIA KAMAU
Nairobi
 

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