This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
Laikipia county government has been called upon to rename Thomson's Falls, a popular tourist attraction in Nyahururu town, to a name that reflects Kenyan culture and heritage.
Lawyer Wambugu Wanjohi, in a letter dated June 18, 2020, to Laikipia county governor Ndiritu Muriithi, argued that the name Thomson's Falls is a continuous reminder of colonialism and its harsh legacies that have divided African societies.
Wanjohi cited Article 11 of the Constitution, which mandates the state to recognize, preserve, and promote national and cultural values as the foundation of a nation and cumulative civilization of Kenyans.
He suggested that the falls could be renamed after a national or Laikipia hero, heroine, or other designation that befits Kenyan heritage, culture, and history.
Wanjohi acknowledged that renaming the falls would not cure all the harsh colonial legacies that Kenyans have endured, but it would give Kenyans and Laikipians a sense of identity and national pride.
Thomson's Falls, named over 137 years ago, is fed by water from river Ewaso Nyiro flowing through the Aberdare Ranges and Lake Olbolosat before draining into Lorian Swamp.
