Kipchumba Murkomen, CS for Internal Security, has said that Kenya’s rich cultural diversity must be protected and preserved for the next generation.
The CS said this after attending the second West Pokot cultural festival that took place at KICC on Saturday evening, November 7.
“Last evening, at KICC, we joined the Pokot community for the 2nd Pokot Fest, a cultural extravaganza that brought this beauty to the heart of the capital,” he said.
Organised by Kokel Entertainment, PokotFest is a cultural festival created to bring together Pokot communities, artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, businesses, visitors, partners, and friends of Pokot culture from Kenya and beyond.
CS Murkomen also praised the organisers for bringing and packaging the rich culture for a broader audience.
“Pokot culture, for a long time, was relatively unknown to the wider world, with school festivals and social media offering us only a glimpse of this gem, especially the captivating dances and colourful regalia,” he said.
According to the organisers, the festival is also used to promote peace in the area.
“We use the power of culture to promote peace and unity, empower young people and local talent, support cultural entrepreneurs, encourage responsible tourism, create economic opportunities, and strengthen pride in our heritage,” the organisers said.
A sentiment that was also echoed by CS Murkomen, who encouraged tolerance and an appreciation for diversity.
“Our cultural diversity is an inexhaustible treasure trove, a heritage we must explore, celebrate, and pass on to the next generation,” CS Murkomen said. “The event was also a celebration of the return of peace in West Pokot County and the wider Kerio Valley region, and a commitment to do even more to sustain it.”
For a long time, Kerio Valley was known as the ‘Valley of Death’ because of decades of persistent inter-communal violence, cattle rustling, and armed banditry that claimed hundreds of lives. However, over the past four years, sustained efforts by President William Ruto’s government through the ‘Maliza Uhalifu’ operations have brought some semblance of peace to the region.
