Njeri Mwangi, the spouse of activist Boniface Mwangi, has called for documenting Kenya’s diverse cultural practices as a way of preserving and celebrating the rich heritage of the country’s indigenous cultures.

Speaking to a local TV station on Friday, January 23, 2026, Mwangi stated that the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society is something that ought to be celebrated rather than used as a divisive force.

She lamented the trend of employing cultural or ethnic diversity to divide people—a facet she blamed squarely on individuals’ tendencies rather than a larger political problem.

Celebrating cultures

“It is of national importance that we see our story and celebrate our culture. In Kenya, we have 44 tribes, yet they have been used to divide us,” she opined.

“The cultural differences are what make life beautiful and amazing, yet they have been used to divide us. This is far from political; we are forgetting our culture, and there is a need to document and archive these cultural elements for posterity,” she stated

Her sentiments echo the dominant discourse in Kenya around the ongoing national conversations on cohesion and the call to move beyond ethnic or tribal divisions, especially at a time when the rise of Gen Z and younger generations has also contributed to the disappearance of certain cultural traditions and behaviors.

Her message mirrored past remarks made by President William Ruto about harnessing it to support economic growth, particularly through tourism, job creation, and enterprise development.

The President made the remarks while presiding over the ninth edition of the Tobong’u Lore Festival in Lodwar, Turkana County, on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Preserving culture

“We call on national and county elders, cultural practitioners, the private sector, and our development partners to work together to safeguard Kenya’s rich and diverse cultural heritage,” Ruto said.

He added that culture can play a key role in strengthening tourism as a driver of inclusive growth while also supporting climate action.

“This includes leveraging our cultural heritage to strengthen tourism as a driver of jobs, enterprise, and inclusive economic growth, and advance climate action by integrating indigenous knowledge and practices into environmental conservation,” Ruto stated.