Management of Kisumu Museum has formally been transferred to the County Government of Kisumu following the signing of an Intergovernmental Partnership Agreement between the National Museums of Kenya and the devolved unit.
The agreement, developed by the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC), underscores deepening collaboration between national and county governments in the management of cultural institutions.
The handover aligns with constitutional provisions that assign certain cultural functions to county governments. The move is expected to enhance local decision-making, improve service delivery, and strengthen preservation of heritage assets at the grassroots level.
Speaking during the ceremony, Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathew Ochieng Owili said the transfer will boost service delivery while positioning Kisumu as a leading cultural and tourism hub.
“The County Government of Kisumu is fully prepared to take over the museum function. We have already invested resources to upgrade the facility and ensure it continues to serve as a premier centre for heritage preservation in the region,” he said.
The handover comes ahead of the fifth Piny Luo Cultural Festival, which is expected to showcase the rich heritage of the Luo community.
Culture Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir said 13 officials will be deployed to facilitate capacity building and ensure continuity in management standards during the transition.
She added that devolving museums is part of a broader strategy to unlock tourism potential in regions outside major urban centres while safeguarding Kenya’s diverse cultural heritage.
The Kisumu facility becomes the second museum to be transferred to county management after the Kitale Museum in Trans Nzoia.
The National Museums of Kenya has outlined plans to devolve additional museums in Wajir, Narok, Garissa, Isiolo and Marsabit counties.
IGRTC Chairman Kithinji Kiragu described the agreement as a model of a fully transferred function, complete with resources and institutional support, noting that such frameworks are critical to strengthening intergovernmental relations.
Located about two kilometres from Kisumu’s central business district along Nairobi Road, the museum sits on approximately 4.2 hectares. Established in 1980 with support from UNESCO, it is designed around traditional Luo homesteads and hosts a wide range of ethnographic, natural history and archaeological exhibits from the Western Kenya region.
