By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya

Kenya still has a “long journey ahead”, President Uhuru Kenyatta told jubilant crowds Tuesday as thousands of his countrymen celebrated Mashujaa Day.

The annual commemorations - also known as Heroes’ Day - recognize those who lost their lives in Kenya’s struggle for independence from Britain in the 1950s.

Speaking at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenyatta said that despite winning freedom in 1963, many Kenyans were still unable to afford basic items or to enjoy the promise of freedom that independence brought.

“We still have a long journey ahead of us in securing the dignity of our fellow citizens,” he said. “We must with one resolve say no to vices that would derail us from the path of progress and prosperity.”

Kenyatta - the son of Kenya’s first president Jomo Kenyatta, considered the country’s founding father - said nations must reflect on their pasts to be able to chart a steady and sustainable future.

“Mashujaa Day is a reflection of our collective recognition that any great nation must honor its heroes as a source of national pride,” he said.

“Today, we reflect on the enormous progress we have made as well as the challenges we face as a nation. The lessons we draw must give us the courage and inspiration to face the future, our common future.”

More than 10,000 police were deployed in Nairobi for the day.