Geoffrey Mosiria condemns upside-down display of Kenyan flag during Somalia ambassador presser
By Paulette Mboga, September 25, 2025Nairobi County Chief Officer of Environment Geoffrey Mosiria has strongly criticised the upside-down display of the Kenyan flag during a recent public apology presser by Somalia ambassador Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, saying the incident raises serious concerns about respect for the national symbol.
The remarks come after the Ambassador of Somalia to Kenya, Abdulle, issued a public apology following outrage over videos that showed Mogadishu City FC fans disrespecting the Kenyan flag during a CAF Champions League match against Kenya Police FC.
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During the press conference where the apology was delivered, Kenyans observed that the national flag displayed at the event was still positioned upside down. The oversight further fuelled criticism, with many questioning whether the apology was genuine or adequately thought through.
“Just looking at the positioning of our Kenyan flag, apologising while still displaying it upside down, raises serious concerns. Was it intentional? It is unfortunate that even after the apology, our national flag continues to be disrespected in this way,” Mosiria said on X on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
Strict rules
He stressed that the matter should not be taken lightly, recalling how, in earlier years, strict rules were enforced to protect the flag’s dignity.
“I recall back in primary and secondary school, our scouts were very strict about this. If the flag was ever raised upside down, there were immediate consequences. Even as students, if one walked while the flag was being raised or lowered, disciplinary action would follow,” he added.
According to Mosiria, the recent incident appears more deliberate compared to past mistakes, which were often made out of ignorance by young learners. He maintained that the apology offered was not sufficient to address the seriousness of the matter.
“In those days, people would be arrested for disrespecting our flag in any way. What I see here appears more deliberate than the mistakes we witnessed from those young boys. For this reason, we still call for a more sincere and clear apology,” he noted.
For Mosiria and others, the matter highlights the importance of respecting Kenya’s national symbols at all times, particularly on public platforms. He emphasised that a more careful and deliberate approach should have been taken to ensure that the apology did not compound the initial mistake.