East African Leaders Celebrate Unity and Heritage in Siaya County

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda has been crowned a Luo elder during the closing ceremony of the fourth Piny Luo Festival in Siaya County, Kenya. The event, held at the sacred Got Ramogi Hill, also saw Kenya’s President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga receive the same honor.

Cultural Crowning Ceremony

During the festival celebrated to mark Luo culture, the elders were decked in symbols of leadership adorned with traditional Luo seats, crowns, clothes, shields and spears and whiskers indicating peace. The event was presided over by the Luo cultural leader Odungi Randa and attended by Siaya County Governor James Orengo among other senior officials.

The newly crowned elders later toured the Jaramogi Oginga Mausoleum and four traditional Luo Huts that indicate the ancestral lineage of the community.

Museveni Calls for Unity and Prosperity

President Museveni said he was thankful for being recognised as Luo elder for the fourth time. “This is an honor for Uganda,” he said. “The Piny Luo Festival embodies unity among East Africans by celebrating shared heritage and traditions, and it should lead us towards an East African Federation.”

Museveni said the colonial partition of Africa, which remains an important ingredient of prosperity through integration, is often talked about. He noted that African states had secured political independence but neglected regional unity, impeding economic growth and strategic security.

He also commended all past and current East African leaders, such as Julius Nyerere, Daniel Moi, and William Ruto, who had supported regional integration. Museveni also gave plaques to Luo cultural leaders with a historic photo of the East African leaders who supported federation in 1963.

Support for Raila Odinga’s AU Candidacy

President Museveni supported the candidature of Raila Odinga for the chairmanship of the African Union, saying East African leaders must be at the forefront in fostering unity and development.

“We are supporting Raila Odinga’s candidature, but the real work lies with East African governments and people,” Museveni said.

President Ruto also supported the same, terming Odinga a suitable candidate to champion Africa’s unity and progress.

Ruto’s Vision for East Africa

President Ruto was grateful to Museveni, who attended the festival on short notice, saying this demonstrated his commitment to the unity of East Africa. “This event shows that artificial borders should be stepping-stones, not hurdles,” Ruto said. “A successful Kenya or Uganda depends on a thriving East Africa.”

He announced the opening of Nyang’oma Technical Training College, Lamogi campus, which is a Ksh 400 million project geared toward youth empowerment. He gifted the plaque for the campus in honor of Museveni and termed it a mark of East African cooperation.

Odinga’s Push for Open Borders

Raila Odinga advocated scrapping the colonial borders, which he blamed for low trade and prosperity. “Africa trades more with others than with itself. Let us open our borders for free movement of people and goods,” he said.

Governor James Orengo of Siaya County concurred in his vision of a United States of East Africa, suggesting the first step to this dream is a federation between Kenya and Uganda. “We want to see this federation in our lifetime,” he said.

Celebrating Culture and Sports

The Piny Luo Festival was held for three consecutive days and focused on “Celebrating the Roots of Our Culture and Heritage” through displays of traditional attires, foods, dances, and folklore. These included Luo communities in Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The event was concluded by the official opening of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Stadium, a FIFA-standard stadium in Siaya County. A friendly football match between Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC and Uganda’s Kitara FC was hosted in the stadium, with Gor Mahia emerging the winner in a 9-8 penalty shootout.

In his post-match address, Museveni urged East Africans to create wealth through agriculture, ICT, services, and manufacturing. He congratulated Gor Mahia for their victory and praised Kitara FC for their spirited performance.

A Vision for the Future

The festival epitomized shared cultural heritage among East Africans. While the leaders and communities were celebrating together the traditions that unite them, they had also laid the foundation for deeper regional cooperation and integration, dreaming of a prosperous, united East Africa.