Luo Council of Elders chairman Ker Willis Otondi has challenged members of the community to unite and remain true to their culture ahead of their cultural festival set for December 18.
Otondi said many, particularly the younger generation, have lost the way and that the current generation of parents especially those living in towns have failed to teach their children the community’s traditions.
“Parents of what I have learnt to call the digital generation have failed to teach their children the community’s cultural norms, beliefs, taboos, and other simple aspects of our community such as Dholuo,” said Otondi.
This comes barely a month after Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) leader Raila Odinga called for a joint cultural festival to strengthen and celebrate the Luo culture.
Raila who has been the community’s political leader since the passing on of his father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga on January 20, 1994 earlier said a nation without its culture is lost.
The four Luo Nyanza counties have now responded to the calls and have in collaboration with the Council of Elders formed a secretariat that will organise and see to the success of the fete.
The counties including Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya, and Kisumu are planning the grand cultural festival that will showcase the community’s cultural heritage.
The festival is also expected to educate members of the community on common values and bring together both cultural and political leaders to discuss the community’s socio-economic, cultural, and political developments.
It is a three day event set to be held at Kisumu’s Kenyatta Sports Ground and will bring an early Christmas to residents of the lakeside city, with the climax set for December 21.
Kisumu County governor Jack Ranguma said the festival will be a fulfillment of earlier commitments made by governors Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Okoth Obado (Migori), and their Siaya counterpart Cornel Rasanga.
“Last time I made a promise that my office will work together with the Luo Nyanza counterparts to organise this. I am not only happy but also looking forward to it ,” he said.
Thomas Ouko, a member of the organising committee from Kisumu said the festival will champion preservation of Luo cultural heritage among the present generation and that lessons learnt will be passed down to future cohorts.