President William Ruto on Friday, October 25, 2024, officially launched the Tobong’u Lore festival in Turkana County.

The event, which began on Thursday, October 24, 2024, will run through the weekend and end on October 27, 2024.

The 8th edition of the Tobong’u Lore Festival will showcase the region’s rich culture and is expected to attract thousands of local and visiting guests from neighbouring countries and abroad.

The event seeks to promote peace in the region and the neighbouring countries of South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia and will feature various activities including music, food and art, culminating in a beauty pageant which will pick Miss Turkana 2024.

The County has at least 12 contestants lined up for the event after scouting for participants in its 20 regions.

Former Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok who is currently the deputy chief of staff at the State House started the festival in 2014 with the view of preserving the culture of the Ateker community in the region.

Through the years, the Ateker community which comprises the Toposa from South Sudan, Nyangatom from Ethiopia, Jie Iteso and Karamojong from Uganda and the local Turkanas have gathered annually to celebrate the culture as all speak the same language across the borders.

Known to archaeologists as the cradle of mankind, Tobong’u Lore means ‘welcome home’ and attracts several local and international tourists.

It is here that the skeleton of the Turkana Boy was discovered and archaeologists believe it was 1.6 million years of age at the time of its excavation.

On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, the County organised a football tournament to precede the official opening of the Tobong’u Lore festival.

Lokichoggio won the tournament which brought together 14 teams from the neighbouring counties of West Pokot, Baringo, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda after a penalty shootout with the Loima team.