After weeks of heated debate on whether governors’ allied to Cord should remove President Uhuru Kenyatta’s portraits from their offices and replace them with those of Raila Odinga, the national government has stepped in and said that no one will be forced to display President Uhuru Kenyatta’s portrait in their offices or business premises.
Addressing journalists at Harambee House in Nairobi on Tuesday, State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said it is not a legal requirement for people to display the President’s portrait in their offices or working places.
He said no legal action will be taken against people who decide to pull down the President’s portraits from their offices.
Esipisu said displaying the President’s portraits is a colonial idea adding that it is not provide for in Constitution.
“It is not a legal requirement for people to display the President’s portraits in their offices or working places and no action will be taken against people who wish to pull them down,” he said during a media briefing at Harambee House in Nairobi.
The issue of President’s portraits had created a heated debate in the country following a proposal by Siaya Governor Cornell Rasanga that governors allied to Cord should remove President Uhuru Kenyatta’s portraits from their offices and replace them with those of Cord leader Raila Odinga.
Rasanga argued that governors elected on Cord tickets had their allegiance to Raila Odinga and not Uhuru Kenyatta.
Rasanga’s proposal was criticised and condemned by a section of Jubilee leaders including leader of the Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale and Kiambu Governor William Kabogo.
Kabogo while addressing residents at Kikuyu town lashed out at Rasanga.
The Kiambu governor had argued that presidential portraits were a sign of respect and unity among Kenyans.
He said the portraits unify Kenyans adding that the proposal by Rasanga was meant to incite Kenyans against the government.