Jamhuri Day: Origin of the trooping of the colours

The practice of the Trooping of the Colour originated in an old Guard Mounting Ceremony. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Origin of the colours

The practice of the Trooping of the Colour originated in an old Guard Mounting Ceremony at which the Queen’s Colour was displayed as a symbol of the sovereignty of the state while the Regimental Colour was the emblem of the soldiers of the Regiments.

At independence in 1963, the ritual was subsumed by the Trooping of the Presidential and Regimental Colours. The Colours symbolizes the spirit of the Regiment for they bear the battle honours and badges granted to the Regiment in commemoration of gallant deeds performed by her troops.

The colours are the highest honour of any Regiment/Unit and a loss of the colour would lead to disbandment of the Unit.

Presidential colour of the 19 battalion, the Kenya Rifles.

Presidential and regimental colours

All infantry Units and Bases in Kenya are presented with both Presidential and Regimental Colours.

The Presidential Colours are trooped when the Unit Base performs a National Ceremony in which the Commander-in-Chief or Head of State of a foreign country is honoured with a Military Parade also known as Guard of Honour (GOH).

The Regimental Colour is also presented to a Unit at the same time with the Presidential Colour and it is displayed whenever the Unit performs a ceremony for General Officers who are accorded Half Guard Parades during visits.

When a Unit is designated to troop its Colour, it becomes an honour to the Regiment as it is now able to showcase its Colour in a ceremony known as “Trooping of Colour”.

The Consecration and Presentation of the Units Colours to the Battalion marks the Units final milestone in its formation. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Symbolism of the colour

Since both Presidential and Regimental Colours stand for the honour accorded to the Unit, they are handled with utmost respect and are saluted as a sign of respect whenever one gets into close proximity to them.

It is, for this reason, people are asked to stand and those in the discipline/Uniformed Forces salute whenever the Colours pass by. Both Colours are each carried by a commissioned Officer and escorted by two armed Senior Non Commissioned Officers (SNCOs).

The Colours should not be confused with the Unit Flag which does not command the same respect.

Trooping of the colours

Trooping of the Colours is done on two occasions by infantry Units, Air Force bases, or Naval bases whereby the first occasion both Presidential and Regimental Colours are handed over to a Unit for the first time, its known as Consecration and Presentation of Colours.

The Consecration and Presentation of the Units Colours to the Battalion marks the Units final milestone in its formation.

The Unit Quarter Master and Regimental Quartermaster escorted by SNCOs lay the Colours prior being prayed and anointed by religious leaders.

After prayers the Colours are presented to the Colours Officers by the Commander-in-Chief and thereafter they are showcased.

The second occasion is whereby an Infantry Unit, Air Force base, or Naval base is tasked to conduct a presentation of the Colours whereby only the Presidential Colour is involved.

There is a strict drill for marching in and out, handling the Colours.

The Colours are kept under lock and key and only removed occasionally for ceremonial displays.

During the trooping of Colour Parade, the Presidential Colour is marched under the escort of the Colour Party SNCOs who hand it over to the Unit Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM).

The RSM in turn hands it over to the Colour Officer. The Colour Officer is of the rank of Lieutenant and commands the Colour Party.

After being accorded the National Honours, the Colour is paraded before the troops. The parade formally receives the Colour and then troops the Colour before the Commander-in-chief in both slow and quick time.

During trooping, every soldier on parade has a close view of the Colour as it passes whilst paying the highest possible honours by presenting arms in salute.

In military tradition, the ceremony is one of symbolic trust given to the Unit.

The honour of Trooping of the Colour is a very significant event for a Unit and it is recorded in the Unit’s history.

History of 19 Batallion, the Kenya Rifles

19 Battalion, the Kenya Rifles is an Infantry Unit of the 6th Infantry Brigade.

The Unit was formed on 28th January, 2011, with the first group of personnel (6 Officers and 42 Svc members).

The second group of personnel comprised of KENBATT 20 personnel after they returned from peacekeeping duties in United Nation Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2012.

The Unit was initially located at the Kenya Rapid Deployment Capability (KRDC) HQs in Embakasi Garrison.

In 2015 the Unit moved to Laikipia KDF Rifle Range in Laikipia County.

While in Nanyuki, the Unit continued to consolidate up her forces, bond, train and prepare for operations and other routine tasks.

The Unit moved to Nyali Barracks in Mombasa County in January 2019 and took-over the Camp from 17th Battalion the Kenya Rifles.

The Unit distinctive colour is Grey. The Unit is currently in Nyali Barracks, which was originally a Rest and Recuperation Camp for the white soldiers during World War II where they would converge to ‘cool down’, ‘erase’ war memories and related stress before being redeployed.