The Turkana County Government has begun a comprehensive infrastructure assessment at Ekaales Cultural Centre ahead of the upcoming annual Tobong’u Lore Cultural Festival, with the event’s tentative dates to be announced later.
A multi-sectoral technical team comprising officers from the Departments of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, and Roads and Public Works is inspecting the facility to identify areas requiring urgent rehabilitation.
Led by the Chief Officer for Tourism and Culture, John Korikel, the team assessed access roads, water networks and electrical systems to determine the improvements needed to prepare the venue for the cultural gathering.
“We have roped in engineers from the Departments of Public Works, Water, Electrical Engineering and Roads to determine the technical requirements for repairs at the Ekaales Cultural Centre,” Korikel said.
He noted that the joint assessment would enable the county to identify and procure the necessary materials and services based on technical specifications certified by the respective engineers.
Director of Roads Engineer Simon Nakucho said the planned road rehabilitation would include grading approximately 3.3 kilometres of roads, gravelling 800 metres and carrying out spot dumping across the centre to improve accessibility.
He said the interventions would help ensure the venue is in suitable condition to accommodate participants and visitors expected to attend the festival.
The Tobong’u Lore Cultural Festival brings together diverse cross-border communities within the Ateker cluster to celebrate their shared heritage, traditions and cultural diversity, while showcasing the unique identity of the Turkana people.
The county government considers the improvement of facilities at Ekaales Cultural Centre a priority in preparation for the international cultural event, which promotes cultural exchange, tourism and regional cooperation.
By Peter Gitonga
