Yellow garments declared illegal in Mt Kenya area. Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru announced the unusual decree with a bit of humour blaming this for ‘political constipation’ while beaming that it had heralded “yellow fever” recrudescence.

People in the north are allowed to wear yellow, so their taste buds have not been afflicted with this neuro-virus which only cures itself after a long rest. The use of yellow, the color commonly identified with a leading political party in India has become one that invites controversy. The statement by Njiru typifies the elevated political temperatures; and colors mean a lot in Kenyan politicsigits

In this case, it is the political influence of yellow (yes) that is being turned into a clever pun by likening them to an infectious disease. And yet, by framing this presence in the realm of human illness (Njiru calls it fiscal cancer and political constipation), Njiru is suggesting that ODM has been such a hindrance to development projects upcountry.

So the response from Mt Kenya residents has been mixed. For some people, it is a step to limit political corruption and secure stability; for others government interference into personal affairs while ignoring more important issues. The clash underscored the longstanding political stagnation and depths that some will sink to for power.

The prohibition of yellow clothes is a stark reminder that politics will always cut through the veneer we cast over mundane elements of life as individual expression. The specificity of color and the way it resonates as a signifier for political affiliation or lack there of is also paramount.

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