A Celebration of Culture and Heritage at the 9th Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festival

It was a day filled with pomp and colour at the 9th edition of the Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festival, held in Lodwar, Turkana County. Cabinet Secretary Hon. Beatrice Askul Moe accompanied H.E. President Dr. William Samoei Ruto in joining residents to celebrate the county’s rich cultural heritage.

Popularly known as “Tobong’u Lore”, meaning “Welcome Back Home”, the annual festival brings together the Turkana people of Kenya and neighbouring Ateker communities—including the Iteso, Karamojong and Jie of Uganda, Nyang’atom of Ethiopia, and Toposa of South Sudan. These communities share a common ancestry, language, customs, traditions, and cultural identity.

The festival serves as a platform for cultural preservation, unity, and the promotion of tourism, while strengthening cross-border ties among communities with shared heritage.