Opinion: Why the word 'Harambee' has made public debate for years

Coat of arms of Kenya

Should we expunge the word “Harambee” from our vocabulary? That is a question currently before the Senate, following a petition brought before it recently. The petition by Isaac Aluochier, seeks to have “Harambee” expunged from the National Court of Arms, Public Seal, and all other public documents and publications.

However, opinion seems divided on the significance and value of the petition. The debate is however not new. During the Constitution review process, there was a fairly vigorous lobby to have the word expunged.

A section of the religious community felt that, because of its perceived Indian religious origins, the word Harambee may have had spiritual impact on the affairs of the nation.

This was exacerbated by the obviously extensive use of Harambee, beyond just in the Court of Arms and Seal. Harambee Avenue hosts major government offices – including Office of the President, the Treasury, and Attorney General Chambers. Moreover, the President’s office is Harambee House while Harambee Stars is the national football team.

Harambee is also prominently displayed in all Kenya currency. Hence, the feeling has been that this extensive use of a word associated with a god or goddess is not only evasive but an inadvertent surrender to these deities. Unfortunately, there has been no conclusive agreement on the origin of the word.

Many seem to agree that the word took root during the building the East Africa railway line. The workers apparently used the word as a slogan for marshalling their collective energies during the highly exerting work. But, there is little convergence on the meaning and origins of the slogan.

There are those who have argued that the word came with Indian rail workers. To marshal their energies, they called on Ambe – one of their prominent goddesses – for strength and blessings. Hence the chant was “Hare Ambe” loosely translated as “Hail Ambe.” The African workers equally joined in the chant and it soon became a rallying call for pulling together.

 It however eventually got corrupted into “Harambee” by the none Indians. It is thus claimed that, when Mzee Kenyatta visited the work sites and saw the unifying effect this chant apparently had on the workers, he immediately borrowed it as a rallying call for the nation to pool and pull together. Some have however refuted the Hindu origin theory, arguing that Harambe was actually borrowed from a Miji Kenda word “Halumbe” which means to pull or push together.

BLESS OTHERS

Apparently, they had introduced this word to the rail workers who then corrupted it to Harambee in later usage. An Indian writer however throws a spanner into the works, arguing that the sound of Harambe is closer to Har Ambe, a combination of the names of two Hindu deities. Har being one of the many names of Lord Shiva and Ambe the consort of Lord Shiva.

 According to the Hindus, Lord Shiva is the destroyer of the world, following Brahma the creator, and Vishnu the preserver. Thus, “Har Har Ambe” is often chanted in giving praises and showing gratitude to the supreme deities – Har and Ambe – but also as a greeting to bless others.

What seems clear is that this debate may be as long as the railway line with which it is associated. The critical issue is whether or not the word has any spiritual effects on our national life. The ayes would argue that, if the word is in praise of Har and Ambe, then it must certainly have spiritual impact, especially given its extensive and prominent use.

The nays would however reason, like Senator Moses Wetang’ula, that language is dynamic and words are constantly borrowed from different languages. Harambee has therefore become a Kenyan word, freed from any vestiges of its origins – good or bad.

From a Biblical perspective, the Apostle Paul seemed to care little about the effects of other gods on the faith of Jesus followers. He told the Corinthians, “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God.” (1 Cor 8:5-6).

Accordingly, he advised believers not to fear buying or eating food sold in the market, simply because it may have been offered to idols. Also noteworthy is that, when the Philistines captured the ark of God and placed it before Dagon their god, Dagon suffered serious consequences. Thus, whereas I personally do not use the word Harambee, I would not lose sleep over whether or not it is expunged from our national nomenclature.