Narok County celebrated the World Day for Cultural Diversity, Dialogue, and Development at Ole Ntimama Stadium, with officials warning that Kenya’s cultural heritage faces extinction if communities abandon their traditions for modern ways of life.
Speaking at the event organized jointly by the UNESCO Kenya National Commission and the Narok County Government, County Committee Member in charge of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture Robert Simuoto said no culture is inferior to any other and called on Kenyans to nurture and protect their heritage.
“Every culture is superior in its own way, and it must be appreciated; it must be nurtured,” Simuoto said, adding that negative cultural practices such as FGM must, however, be rooted out as they continue to deny girls access to education.
Simuoto said Narok was deliberately chosen to host the national event because of its diversity, noting that the county’s motto speaks to its identity as a home of many cultures. He called on all leaders to recognize that Kenya belongs to every community equally.
“We can harness the diversity within Kenya for development. Kenya belongs to all of us, and no culture is inferior to any other,” he said.
Present during the function was Kilian Nyambu of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) who said Kenya’s diversity has long been misused as a tool for division rather than harnessed for national unity and development.
Quoting a Swahili proverb, Nyambu warned that abandoning one’s culture is a path to losing one’s identity. “Mwacha mila ni mtumwa,” he said, urging Kenyans to treat culture as both an identity anchor and an economic resource capable of generating income for artists and communities.
Emily Njeru, Director of Culture at the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO, said Narok’s commitment to protecting and promoting its culture made it the ideal host for the celebrations.
“We look forward to a day when all Kenyans will be proud of our rich, diverse cultural heritage so that we can benefit from our music and from our indigenous resources,” Njeru said.
Bursuna Ejere, Coordinator of the Center for Cultural Heritage Studies at Masai Mara University, announced that the university has established a dedicated center to advance research, preservation, and conservation of Kenya’s diverse cultural heritage.
The event, held under the theme “Celebrating Kenya’s Cultural Diversity for Peace, Nationhood, and Development,” drew communities from different parts of the country, who showcased their traditional attire, dances, and customs. Entry was free to the public.
By Jeremiah Juma and Emily Kadzo
