Migori County Residents Ushers in New Year in Low Tone

Migori,

Monday, January 1, 2024

KNA by George Agimba

Usual spectacular fireworks were notably missing in towns and markets in Migori County as the residents joined the World in ushering in the New Year, 2024.

There were a few glares of light and color to welcome the New Year as the region moved to close all its files of 2023.

From Isibania town at the border of Kenya and Tanzania to Rongo town at the border of Migori and Kisii Counties, the roars, cheers and claps from joyful residents that illuminated such quite balmy and moony nights in previous years as the clock’s three arrows tic-toked past 00.00 hours were visibly minimal in this area.   

To the chagrins of the local population, the sky remained blackened at midnight as no fireworks were blown up from buildings and homes across the region.

“This is a reality that the economic hardship dogging residents have removed Migori out of the map in terms of welcoming the New Year,” retired teacher Mr. Gideon Odondi commented as he joined his fellow Seventh Day Adventists faithful in prayers at Nyaduong’ SDA Church this morning.

The celebratory mood was low in the region even as a host of Churches and Mosques whose pastors, bishops, Imams, and followers spent the night giving their followers spiritual nourishment mid serious poverty facing the population into the New Year.

At the Voice of Hope SDA Church in Uriri Market, Pastor Maurice Nguju ushered in the year 2024 with a sermon calling on Kenyans to embrace love, peace, and the spirit of open heart to give to the less fortunate people in society.

Pastor Nguju also urged parents not to spend too much of their money on celebrations but to spare enough to cater for their children’s education this year.

The majority of the residents however expressed confidence that the hard economic situation witnessed in 2023 will become better during the New Year.

Key voices from the business community, religious institutions, trade unions, women groups, and professional groups called on politicians to tone down their political rhetoric and focus their energies on growing the economy. 

They also asked politicians to ensure the full implementation and protection of the Constitution during 2024 or they risk blowing up the gains made in the past 13 years.

Courtesy; KNA