Migori County is preparing to host the 5th Edition of the Piny Luo Cultural Festival and Migori Cultural Extravaganza, a vibrant celebration of Luo heritage and identity, from December 14 to 16, 2025.

Speaking during a media briefing in Nairobi, Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko said preparations are well underway to deliver an unforgettable event that honours the Luo people’s cultural legacy while fostering unity, creativity, and economic growth.

“The basis of doing a cultural extravaganza is to celebrate the diversity because Migori is a Cosmopolitan County that’s constituted by divers population,” Ayacko said.

This year’s festival will be especially significant as it will be held for the first time without its long-serving patron, the late Raila Amollo Odinga.

“This is the first time we are hosting Piny Luo Cultural Festival in his absence, he has been the patron of this festival and the Luo nation. This 5th edition will be a significant one because individuals are temporary and transient, we are on other for a very short period but the nation continues and people are born into that nation,” Ayacko said.

He added that the event will offer a moment of reflection and remembrance for Odinga’s immense contributions.

“It is going to give the Luo nation the immense opportunity to remember the contribution that the late Patron Raila Amollo Odinga contributed to nationally and internationally. It will inspire the young and elderly people and give us opportunity to appreciate some of the fine parts and qualities that Raila exhibited.”

Governor Ayacko noted that the cultural festival will also provide a platform for other communities living in Migori, including the Kuria, Luhya, Kisii, and Somali, to showcase and celebrate their traditions publicly for the first time.

The three-day event will feature a rich lineup of traditional performances, plenary discussions on culture and commerce, a First Lady’s Gala Night, and a boat race across Migori’s scenic water bodies.

President William Ruto and several regional leaders are expected to attend the festival, alongside prominent cultural figures, innovators, and development partners.

“Through the Piny Luo Festival, we are not only preserving culture but also opening up Migori as a vibrant destination for investment and tourism,” the governor said.

Beyond cultural preservation, the festival will feature discussions on how heritage can drive inclusive trade, creative industries, and youth empowerment, aligning with Kenya’s national and regional development goals.