In 2015 when the US President Barack Obama visited his paternal home, Kenya he was honoured with a 21-guns salute. However, this was not the case for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who visited the country on Tuesday.
Netanyahu received a 19-guns salute when he was hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi.
Did you know that the number of gun salutes accorded to a leader depends on his position or the occasion.
Us customary laws for the military which have been adopted in many countries dictates that gun salutes should be accorded in a descending manner depending on the political position of a visiting leader.
According to the customary laws, Presidents are accorded a 21-guns salute while premiers are honoured with 2-guns less as in the case of Netanyahu.
The salutes operate in a descending order 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7 the lowest being 5 which is accorded to deputy ambassadors and their agents.
Gun salutes are one of the most revered forms of recognition in the military set-up. They are performed by firing cannons or artillery.