President Museveni Honored as Luo Elder at Kenya’s Piny Luo Festival

Summary:

• President Museveni expressed gratitude to the Luo for recognizing him for the fourth time, having previously been honored by the Alur, Acholi, and Lango communities in Uganda.

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SIAYA (KENYA): President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was on Thursday crowned as a Luo elder at the closure of the fourth edition of the Piny Luo Festival in Siaya County, Kenya.

At the regional annual cultural ceremony held at the Got Ramogi Hill shrines, President Museveni was crowned alongside his host, Kenya’s President William Ruto, and former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.

The crowning ceremony, conducted by the Luo cultural leader (Ker), Odungi Randa, included presenting the three leaders with traditional symbols of authority: a ruler’s seat, a leadership crown, an elder’s traditional cloth, a shield and spear for protection, and a whisk symbolizing peace.

Following the ceremony, the newly crowned elders, accompanied by Siaya County Governor James Orengo and other dignitaries, toured the Jaramogi Oginga Mausoleum and visited the four Luo traditional huts representing the community’s ancestral roots.

In his remarks, President Museveni expressed gratitude to the Luo for recognizing him for the fourth time, having previously been honored by the Alur, Acholi, and Lango communities in Uganda.

“I thank the Luos for making me an elder in the community. This is an honor for the people of Uganda. What you’re doing now is highlighting the unfairness of these borders, and I’m very happy to see this,” President Museveni said. He noted that the Piny Luo Festival embodies the spirit of unity among East Africans by celebrating their shared heritage, culture, and traditions. He emphasized that such initiatives should lead to the establishment of the East African Federation to achieve prosperity in the region.

President Museveni reflected on Africa’s historical struggles, noting that the continent was colonized by 1900 after enduring 600 years of the slave trade. However, he highlighted the formation of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1912 as a pivotal moment for modern resistance against colonialism.

“The African leaders had four historical missions: achieving independence, creating prosperity for Africans, ensuring strategic security, and fostering the brotherhood of African people. While we have achieved independence, we have lagged in integration, which has slowed East Africa’s prosperity and security. Political federation is the key to overcoming these challenges,” he said.

President Museveni praised past and current leaders, including Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and President William Ruto, for their support of East African integration. He presented plaques featuring a historic 1963 photograph of East African leaders—Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere, and Milton Obote—declaring their intention to form an East African Federation.

At the same event, President Museveni expressed support for Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union chairmanship. “We are supporting Raila Odinga’s candidature, but the real work lies with East African governments and people,” he stated.

President Ruto thanked President Museveni for attending the festival on short notice. “You have demonstrated resilience and friendship. Your journey of over 200 km to join us signifies true East African unity,” Ruto said. He emphasized the need to use cultural celebrations to strengthen bonds among East Africans and transform artificial boundaries into bridges for trade and collaboration.

President Ruto also reiterated support for Raila Odinga’s AU chairmanship bid, describing it as a regional effort to champion Africa’s unity and progress.

In honor of the occasion, President Ruto officially opened the Lamogi Campus of Nyang’oma Technical Training College, built at a cost of Ksh 400 million. The campus will admit students starting this January. “A plaque will commemorate this event, marking it as a celebration of East African unity,” Ruto announced.

Raila Odinga called for the removal of colonial-era borders, which he said hinder East Africa’s prosperity. “Africa trades more with others than within itself. We must open our borders to promote trade among Africans,” he urged.

Governor James Orengo expressed gratitude to President Ruto for enabling President Museveni’s participation in the festival. He urged the two leaders to take tangible steps toward establishing a Kenya-Uganda federation. “Let this festival mark the beginning of a journey where Kenyans and Ugandans can move freely between our countries,” Orengo proposed.

The three-day festival, which began on December 31, 2024, celebrated the theme “Celebrating the Roots of Our Culture and Heritage.” It focused on promoting unity, peace, and reconciliation among Luo communities across Africa.

Participants included Luo representatives from Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Ugandan groups included the Alur, Acholi, Padhola, and Jo Nam communities, among others.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, also attended the event.

Got Ramogi Hill holds a special place in Luo history as the initial settlement point during their migration from Sudan. The festival’s activities included showcasing traditional attire, foods, dances, folklore, prayers, and tributes to ancestors.

Later in the day, Presidents Museveni and Ruto inaugurated the newly constructed Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Stadium in Siaya County. The stadium hosted a friendly soccer match between Kenya’s Gor Mahia and Uganda’s Kitara FC, with Gor Mahia winning 9-8 on penalties.

President Museveni urged East Africans to create wealth through sectors such as commercial agriculture, ICT, services, and manufacturing. He congratulated Gor Mahia FC for their victory and praised Kitara FC for their spirited performance.

The FIFA-standard stadium, with a seating capacity of 20,000, is expected to transform Western Kenya’s sports landscape. It features an eight-lane athletics track, VIP lounges, floodlights, and a secure perimeter, making it suitable for hosting top-tier competitions.