Madaraka Day celebrations at the Uhuru Park grounds turned tragic in 1975 during the usual fanfare where security forces showcase their tools of war.
Kenyans are usually treated to a rare show by Kenya Air Force where they show the fighter jets they use to patrol the sky.
The announcement: ‘Mtukufu rais ndege inayofuata ni aina ya … ndege hii hutumika kwenye vita vya hali ya juu kutokana na mwendo wake wa kasi. Marubani wake ni wenye tajriba ya hali ya juu’ has become anonymous with such celebrations.
On that material day, as the jets began their spectacular fly-past, one plane made a dive, but too low, and plunged to the ground in a huge ball of flames.
It crashed into Railway golf course, before ending up on railway yards.
This brought the celebrations into disarray as rescue operations were quickly staged by other forces.
A video of what transpired has been shared by a social media user by the name Odhiambo Levin Opiyo.
The video also gives the ‘Internet generation’ a glimpse into the leadership of founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
He was the one to lead the Madaraka Day celebrations as is filmed arriving at Uhuru Park First Lady Margret Kenyatta – who appears young compared to the limping elderly Kenyatta