Kisumu set for arts, cultural festival finale

By Peter Ochieng

All roads in Kisumu are expected to lead to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Complex on Friday and Saturday, for arts and cultural festival grand finale.

The finale will mark the end of the 2023 Kisuma arts and cultural festival, which has been running for about two months.

Traditionally, the name Kisumu was derived from Kisuma, hence the decision to settle on it to give the festival a traditional touch.

Beatrice Odongo, the Chief Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Sports, Culture, Gender and Youth Affairs said the event will give artists from all corners of Kisumu a stage to perform on various Luo tradition aspects.

She said the artists at the grand finale were arrived at after they emerged victorious during Sub County competitions.

Addressing the press at Mama Grace Onyango Social Centre on Saturday morning, Odongo said the end game is to capacity build the artists, so as to enable them make money through their talents.

"We will capacity build them, package them to use the talents they have to make money."

She said the capacity building exercise will start in July, 2023. Kenneth Otieno, the Chief Officer in the department said artists' turn up was massive during Sub County events.

Kisumu has 7 Sub Counties.

"In some instances, we had over 300 artists turn up either as individuals or as groups," added Otieno.

He said they spent between Sh4 million and Sh5 million to make the festival a success.

Otieno added that artists who will perform at the county level will be handed a token of appreciation.

Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba is among dignitaries expected to attend the festival.

Entry to the stadium is absolutely free, with the only requirement being that one puts on a traditional attire.