Suba Council of Elders from Migori have welcomed the move by Migori County to build an office for the community.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony at Kabubu area in Suna West Sub-County, Migori-Suba Council of Elders member, Japheth Riogi Riogi said that they have been pushing for the construction of an office to provide a decent space where the community can meet and discuss their issues.
Riogi said that it was high time for the Suba community to have a conducive space where they could discuss their cultural and traditional matters, resolve their disputes, and re-teach their language to future generations.
“Our people have been assimilated, most of our culture, traditions and language forgotten, and through the establishment of an office, we want to reintroduce these aspects to enlighten our future generation,” said Riogi.
The council elder also disclosed that they have been allocated land in Nyamaraga in Suna West Sub-County, where they intend to engage the county and other partners to establish a museum to showcase the Suba artefacts, as well as a library to tell the story of the Suba people.
He, however, cautioned the local politicians not to meddle in the progress and affairs of the Suba people but rather help to build, preserve and respect the community for continuity.
“We have already been assimilated, and the only way is to make sure children can learn our Suba language and understand our culture and tradition is to preserve our heritage,” he said.
In December 2025, during the Piny Luo festival held in Migori, an annual festival that is meant to emphasise unity, cultural continuity, and economic empowerment for the Luo community, the Suba community was given a platform to showcase their traditions and culture, a true reflection that the community is still valued and appreciated.
Migori County Executive Committee Member for Health (CECM), Caleb Opondi, who represented Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko during the groundbreaking ceremony, said that the office building will be completed in three months.
“The county government is moving with speed to establish an office for the Suba Council of Elders to offer them a better alternative place where they can hold their barazas, solve their disputes, promote their culture and preserve their language,” said Opondi.
Opondi explained that the construction of the office demonstrated the county government’s collective commitment to inclusive development and cultural preservation, adding that the facility will serve as a permanent administrative and cultural hub for the elders, enabling them to carry out their advisory, mediation, and cultural leadership roles more effectively for generations to come.
The county official, however, urged the Suba elders to maintain social cohesion, preserve cultural values, and support community governance to make the county a better place.
By Makokha Khaoya
