Kenya: Explained: Why Military and Police Attach Blades to Rifles During Parades

When Kenya holds a major national ceremony, one detail often stands out among the formations of soldiers and police officers. Their rifles are sometimes carried with long blades attached to the barrels.

The weapons are known as bayonets, and they are often seen during ceremonial duties involving the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and, at times, the police. 

Their presence can raise a simple question: why are blades still attached to rifles when the ceremony is not a battlefield operation?

A…