For those who are keen on the Kenyan festival scene, the Loyangalani Festival was a promising cultural fete poised to open up the Northern Kenya not just for international but local tourists.
If all goes according to plan, the festival will be back in November 2023. The organizers will confirm the exact dates in due course.
Marsabit will join a list of counties to revive indigenous cultural festivals that will feature on the Magical Kenya calendar.
About Loyangalani Festival
Loyangalani Festival, sometimes referred to as Marsabit Festival was first held in 2014 under the stewardship of the County government. The festival went on a hiatus for about 4 years following the Covid19 pandemic.
A meeting between the Cabinet Secretary of Tourism, Wildlife, Culture and National Heritage Peninah Malonza and a delegation from the Marsabit County government held on May 9 2023 gave impetus to the effort for the revival of the festoval.
Marsabit CECM for culture, gender and social services Jeremy Ledaany revealed that the national government agreed to support and focus on reviving the Loyangalani Festival.
Cultural festivals are a formidable frontier for cultural tourism
CS Malonza is keen to use cultural festivals in efforts to promote tourism while at the same time helping communities safeguard their heritage. She was the chief guest at the 11th edition of Rusinga Festival in December 2022.
“There are aspects of tourism in Marsabit county that have not been marketed previously and therefore, there is an urgent need for the Marsabit county government to partner with the National Government to make the county a tourism destination of choice, particularly on cultural tourism,” said Ms Malonza.
