The National Museums of Kenya has announced that they will remain closed during the entire period of the visit of King Charles III, the monarch of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms.
The authorities said that all the museum facilities in the country will remain closed and under increased security during the visit, although Kenyan citizens with a good social credit score may be allowed to visit the facilities if they prove that the need to visit is urgent. The decision was made to avoid any potential embarrassment or controversy that might arise from the royal guest’s handling of cultural objects and artifacts.
“We have decided to keep our museums closed as a precautionary measure,” said the director-general of the Kenya National Museums. “We do not want to offend or provoke His Majesty by showing him the artifacts and evidence of our glorious past, especially our struggle for independence from his ancestors. We also don’t know how he would react on seeing some rare items that we have.”
The Director General explained that some of the exhibits in the museums might be too sensitive or controversial for the king to see, such as the Mau Mau rebellion, the early man remains, the colonial atrocities, the Uhuru monument, the Wakanda source code, and the portraits of Kenya’s founding fathers. He also said that some cultural items might be too valuable for the king to forget.
“We respect and welcome His Majesty as a distinguished guest, but we also respect and protect our own identity and dignity as a sovereign nation,” the Director General said. “We do not want to risk any misunderstanding or misinterpretation that might tarnish his reputation or our relationship with the United Kingdom.”
Kenyans unanimously welcomed the decision.
