Lodwar, 16th June 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Turkana County hosted a delegation team from Nandi County’s Department of Culture, Gender and Social Welfare, who were on a benchmarking and fact-finding mission ahead of their county’s inaugural cultural festival, scheduled for 16th to 19th October 2025.
The Nandi team sought to learn from Turkana’s renowned experience in organizing the Tobong’u Lore cultural festival—an annual event that has gained national and regional recognition for its role in promoting heritage, peace, and tourism in the region.
The benchmarking engagement was facilitated by the Turkana County Tobong’u Lore planning committee, comprising representatives from the departments of Culture, Trade, Gender and Youth Affairs and Tourism.
The session was chaired by the Deputy County Secretary for Government Affairs, Dr. Albert Gamoe.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Gamoe welcomed the Nandi team and affirmed Turkana’s commitment to inter-county collaboration as a tool for cultural and economic development.
“We are delighted to share the journey of Tobong’u Lore cultural event with our colleagues from Nandi. Our experience has taught us that cultural events are not just celebrations of identity, but powerful platforms for unity, peaceful coexistence among our neighbours, conomic growth and tourism,” said Dr. Gamoe.
“As Turkana, we have integrated our departments to work seamlessly in planning for Tobong’u Lore, ensuring it reflects the diversity, aspirations, and pride of our people,” he added.
The Nandi delegation, led by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Scolastica Towei for the Department of Culture, Gender and Social Welfare, expressed admiration for Turkana’s structured approach to cultural event planning and community engagement.
“We are deeply impressed by the multi-sectoral coordination showcased here. Turkana has set a commendable standard, and we believe these insights will be instrumental in shaping our own cultural festival,” said CECM Towei.
Speaking during the engagement, Turkana County CECM for Trade, Gender, Youth Affairs and Culture, Roseline Aite, underscored the need for well-coordinated planning anchored on key guiding principles.
“As a department, we ensure cultural festivals like Tobong’u Lore are driven by inclusive planning, strong partner collaboration, aggressive publicity, and consistent documentation,” stated Aite.
“These elements are not just technical—they are essential in capturing our culture authentically, creating ownership among our people, and sustaining impact beyond the event,” she added.
The visit included a presentation of the planning model for Tobong’u Lore, stakeholder mobilization strategies, and an overview of the event’s impact on local businesses and regional peace-building efforts.
County Director for Culture and Heritage, Boniface Korobe, emphasized the importance of investing in cultural preservation as a form of social capital.
“Culture is our identity, and through Tobong’u Lore, we have managed to tell our story to the world while boosting local enterprises and attracting thousands of visitors annually,” stated Korobe.
The Nandi officials also toured the Ekaales center where Tobong’u Lore is usually celebrated.
The engagement aligns with Turkana County’s broader commitment to fostering inter-county partnerships and advancing national cohesion through shared cultural experiences.
Team from Nandi county were, Dominic Tullo ( Director gender and social welfare), Isaac Sargoi ( Director Culture and Heritage) and Kibet Ruto ( Deputy Director Culture and Heritage)
Also present during the meeting were; Robbert Loyelei(Sports and vocational training), Pauline Tangarae ( CCO Trade), Abdul Lomuria (Director Tourism), Linus Ekidor (Deputy Director Youth Affairs), Erus Peterson( Ass. Director Administration), Lemmy Ejorewoiya ( Chief Administrator Culture) and Samuel Edapal ( senior trade officer)
