According to biographer Jeremy Murray-Brown in his 1972 effort, Kenyatta: A Biography, the founding father kept the red, green and gold Ethiopian flag in his room at 75 Castle Road in 1931 England - a year after Haile Selassie was crowned Emperor having resisted colonization by Fascist Italy.
Kenyatta was so fascinated with His Imperial Majesty 33 years after his stay at 75 Castle Road, he ensured the Emperor was Kenya’s first foreign dignitary invited during the Jamhuri Day celebrations in June, 1964.
This fascination with Haile Selassie is what saw Mzee Kenyatta name one of the three avenues in the country – not after a local freedom fighter – but a foreigner.
There were only three avenues in Kenya’s capital until recently: Kenyatta, Moi and Haile Selassie Avenues in honour of our first and second presidents and the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I.
Previously Haile Selassie Avenue was called White House Road, named after the Chief Railways Engineer George Whitehouse.
And while Kenyatta and the emperor were busy toasting and making merry, the president of the only other African country that escaped colonialism, William Tubman, President of Liberia who was supposed to attend the same celebrations was docked in Mombasa, at the time awaiting audience.
Kenyatta had issued strict instruction that Tubman stay under “ship arrest”…until the Emperor’s state visit was over.
In return, Emperor Selassie handed Kenyatta an Ethiopian poodle named Addis as a gift.
Funny thing though is good old Jomo hated pets, and would have preferred Nguno, the cow instead.
Nonetheless, despite his dislike for pets, Mzee Kenyatta ordered a brand new Mercedes Benz 280S to ferry Addis across the country, according to his information officer, Mr. Lee Njiru.
“Addis had his own driver and normally sat back left whenever he accompanied Mzee during his long working tours around the country,” he stated.
