President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was yesterday crowned as a Luo elder at the closure of the fourth edition of Piny Luo Festival in Siaya County, Kenya.
At the regional annual cultural ceremony held at the Got Ramogi Hill shrines, H.E. Museveni was crowned alongside his host, Kenya’s President William Ruto, and former Kenyan Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga.
At the crowning ceremony performed by the Ker (cultural leader) of Luo, Odungi Randa, the two Presidents and Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga were handed a traditional seat of the ruler, the crown of leadership, a traditional cloth of an elder, a shield alongside a spear for protection, and a whisk for wishing peace to the people.
Later, the three newly crowned elders and other participants, who included the governor of Siaya County, James Orengo, were taken on a tour of Jaramogi Oginga Mausoleum and the four Luo traditional huts, representing the four sons of Luo.
In his remarks, President Museveni expressed gratitude to the Luo for recognising him for the 4th time, having been recognised before by the Luo in Uganda, who included the Alur, the Acholi and the Lango.
“I thank the Luos for making me an elder in the community. I think this is an honour for the people of Uganda. What you’re doing now is showing the unfairness of these borders, and I’m very happy that you’re showing this,” President Museveni said, adding that the Piny Luo festival that embodies the spirit of unity among East Africans by celebrating their shared heritage, culture, and traditions should also lead to the East African Federation if East Africans are to achieve prosperity in the region.
publication in the Uganda Agus containing a picture of the East African leaders, including former Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta, former Tanganyika President Julius Nyerere, and former Ugandan President Milton Obote, who met in Nairobi on 3rd June 1963 and declared that they would form the federation of East Africa.
At the same event, President Museveni drummed his support to former Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga, who is aiming for the chairmanship of the African Union but urged the leaders of East Africa to play a bigger role and ease their work.
“We are supporting the candidature of Raila Odinga for African Union chairmanship, but the real work will be us in charge of these governments and the people of East Africa,” H.E. Museveni said.
On his part, President Ruto expressed his appreciation to President Museveni for gracing the closure of the Piny Luo festival at short notice.
“You have demonstrated resilience. When I requested you to come, you graciously informed me that any event that brings East Africans together you’ll attend without any hesitation, and I’m amazed that you woke up at 5 am to undertake this journey of over 200 km to come here by road. That is friendship beyond the ordinary,” H.E. Ruto said, describing the event as a celebration of culture in the context that the multicultural community of Ugandans, Kenyans, Sudanese Ethiopians, and Congolese is one people.
