The Kenyan war veterans were presented with medals in Nairobi on Saturday, November 9, 2024.The UK government has recognized the bravery and service of 19 Kenyan World War II veterans by awarding them replacement medals.
The medals were presented on Saturday by British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, to veterans who served in the British Army during World War II.
The medal replacement is part of a wider initiative to honour the vital role played by Kenyan veterans who took part in World War II and replace lost medals.
The event, which was the fifth of its kind held on Kenyan soil, was hosted by the UK’s Defence Adviser, Brigadier Olly Bryant, and was attended by the Kenya Defence Forces, caregivers, and the veterans’ families.
to honoring Kenyan veterans who served in the British Army during WWII.
“Today, we honor Kenyan heroes whose bravery and sacrifice continue to resonate across generations,” Wigan said.
“The medals they have received today are more than symbols; they represent profound acts of courage, loyalty, and selflessness by men and women, many of whom traveled far from their homeland in service of a higher cause.”
This initiative is part of a larger program aimed at recognizing Kenyan war veterans and includes welfare grants to support the daily needs of veterans and widows. Through the Royal Commonwealth initiative, these grants, equivalent to two meals a day, have greatly improved the lives of 829 Askaris and widows. The British Legion (Kenya), with support from the Kenyan Defence Forces Old Comrades Association (DEFOCA), administers these efforts.
Also present was Brigadier Joakim Mwamburi, Managing Director of the Kenya Defence Old Comrades Association, and Sam Mattock, the Councillor of the Embassy of the Order of Malta to Kenya, who has led efforts to honor the veterans.
“Veterans don’t often talk about their time in the military, and they rarely talk about the sometimes-daily hardships in their life journey post-military service, but those memories are never really far away,” Mattock remarked.
“These men are real Mashujaas—heroes—being honored in a small way with these medals and this ceremony.”
The ongoing medal replacement initiative has seen similar events, with the previous one held earlier this year in Kakamega County, where 15 veterans from Western Kenya were awarded medals. Last November, during his visit to Kenya, His Majesty the King presented medals to four Kenyan war veterans at Nairobi’s Kariokor Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.
DEFOCA has long worked to preserve the legacy of retired officers and those who served in WWII, providing assistance and ensuring their sacrifices are remembered. The veterans honored this year included individuals from various counties across Kenya.
With each medal re-presentation, the UK continues to underscore the invaluable contributions of Kenyan WWII veterans, paying tribute to a generation whose courage played a role in shaping the course of history.
