Flag of Kenya

What the flag of Kenya looks like

The flag of Kenya has three wide horizontal stripes: black at the top, red in the middle and green at the bottom. Between them are two narrow white stripes, so the red stripe has a white edge on both sides. The ratio is 2:3.

In the center of the flag is a traditional Maasai warrior's shield in red and black, with a white pattern. Two white spears cross behind it. The shield is a vertical oval with pointed ends, and it covers part of all three main stripes and the white edges.

The shield and spears are the main thing that sets Kenya's flag apart from others that use black, red and green, such as Malawi, Libya or Palestine. See the Kenya flag emoji page for a small version, or download an image from the download page.

Kenya flag meaning and symbolism

The meaning of the colors is well known in Kenya: black stands for the people of Kenya, red for the blood shed in the struggle for independence, and green for the land and its natural wealth. The white edges stand for peace and unity (some sources say honesty).

The shield and spears are a symbol of the defense of freedom. They are taken from the weapons of the Maasai, a people of Kenya and Tanzania, and they show that the people would protect the independence they had won. Contrary to a common question, there is no firearm on the Kenyan flag: the flag with an AK-47 is Mozambique's, while Kenya shows traditional spears.

The flag is described in the Second Schedule of the 2010 constitution, which sets out the colors and the shield. The colors are traditional readings and not the text of the law.

History of the Kenyan flag

Before independence, Kenya was a British colony and protectorate. Earlier flags included the banner of the Imperial British East Africa Company in the 1890s and later the colonial Blue Ensign with the badge of the colony of Kenya.

The independence flag was based on the flag of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), the party that led Kenya to independence under Jomo Kenyatta. KANU's flag used black, red and green stripes, and these became the colors of the nation. The design is also linked to Tom Mboya, a leading nationalist. White fringes and the Maasai shield with spears were added for the national flag, partly to distinguish it from the party flag.

The flag was officially raised for the first time at midnight on 12 December 1963, in Nairobi, when Kenya became independent. Kenya became a republic in 1964, and the flag stayed the same. The date is now marked as Jamhuri Day, with the national flag flown across the country.

Interesting facts about the Kenyan flag

• The green, black and red colors link the flag to the Pan-African colors used by many African independence movements.
• Kenya's national motto, Harambee ("let us all pull together"), is also linked to the idea of unity on the flag.