Harambee is Swahili for “all pull together.” It is Kenya’s official motto, appearing on its coat of arms, and the name for “a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events,” from fundraisers to local development projects (Wikipedia).
Not to be confused with #Harambe (one e), the gorilla killed at the Cincinnati Zoo on May 28, 2016, after a three-year-old boy fell into the moat of the Gorilla World habitat (Wikipedia), whose death became the subject of internet memes.
Origin
- Before independence: According to Wikipedia, the term is considered genuinely Bantu and was first used by Swahili porters “when lifting heavy loads.”
- Popular etymology (unconfirmed): A popular account traces it to Indian laborers building the Uganda Railway, who are said to have invoked the Hindu deities “Hare” and “Ambe.” Wikipedia records it as a popular account rather than the accepted origin, and notes that some Kenyan Christians have objected to the word as an official term because of “its alleged Hindu origin.”
- 1963: After independence, Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first Prime Minister and later first President, adopted harambee as a concept of “pulling the country together to build a new nation” (Wikipedia).
How It’s Used
| Use | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| National motto | The word on Kenya’s coat of arms |
| A harambee | A community fundraising or self-help event |
| Harambee Stars | The Kenya national football team, “colloquially known as the Harambee Stars” (Wikipedia) |
Regulation and Controversy
Harambees have been the target of reform before. In January 2002 a government-commissioned group recommended “the abolition of harambee” as part of anti-corruption efforts (Wikipedia).
Recent Developments
On July 5, 2024, The Star reported that President William Ruto announced “No state officer or public servant shall participate in Harambees.” He directed the Attorney General “to prepare and submit legislation to this effect.” The Star reported the move followed public anger: “State officials have been seen flaunting wads of cash during charitable events which has caused uproar from Kenyans.”