Demand soars for Kenyan flag amid youth-led protests
A protester displays the Kenyan flag next to a bonfire on Tom Mboya Street in Nairobi on July 16, 2024 during the anti Government protests.
What you need to know:
- Enterprising Kenyans have been selling flags on Jiji, Facebook Marketplace, among other items.
- Our survey showed that for as little as Sh150 and as much as Sh1,700, one can get a flag.
The Kenyan flag is in high demand in Nairobi, as are whistles, showing how youth-led protests have pushed up the uptake of demonstration items.
Shops selling flags in the city, as well as those that print them, have been registering an increased appetite for the symbol of national unity.
On Jiji, an online marketplace, Lawaju Enterprises has got a “popular” tag attached to the bandana-type flag that they sell for Sh150 in Nairobi. Reviews posted show that the business has had increased attention from June, when anti-government protests began.
A female protestor holds up the Kenyan Flag on Tom Mboya on July 16, 2024 during the anti-government protests.
And at the Nairobi Sports House, which sells flags, whistles, vuvuzelas among other items for sports fans, demand has also shot up.
When the Nation Lifestyle visited one of the eight outlets of Nairobi Sports House, located along Moi Avenue, staff were cleaning the pavement outside in the hope that they would wash away the teargas fumes that were still strong from the previous day’s (July 16) protests.
At the sports house, they sell three different sizes of flags. Those sizes sell for Sh600, Sh1,200 and Sh1,400.
“All three sizes have been popular. It is not a question of what the size is; it's the usage,” said an official at the shop, who requested not to be named so he could discuss the matter freely.“Demand has been increasing, especially from the beginning of July,” he added, noting that whistles and flags have also been.
Enterprising Kenyans have been selling flags on Jiji, Facebook Marketplace, among other items. Our survey showed that for as little as Sh150 and as much as Sh1,700, one can get a flag. The price depends on the material, the finishing and the size.
Anti-government demonstrators hold up a Kenyan flag during protests on Moi Avenue, Nairobi on July 16, 2024.
The flag got special mentions on social media when a video of Shakira Wafula, a young woman lecturing a police officer in Nairobi, went viral.
As many wondered why the police did not respond even as she goaded him to, some opined that it was because she was carrying the Kenyan flag.
An urban myth was born that, with a flag, one is safe from police action. Over time, however, that has proven to be untrue — though protesters still proudly carry the flag to reinforce the message that they are fighting for the betterment of their motherland.
