Cushitic Communities Unite in Nanyuki for Colourful Cultural Peace Festival

By James Murimi - Reporter

Kenya, 18 November 2025 - The Laikipia East NG-CDF Social Hall in Nanyuki town erupted into a vibrant spectacle of colour and tradition as communities from Northern Kenya converged for the inaugural Cushitic Cultural Day.

The event brought together Somali, Borana, Rendille, Gabra, Samburu, Burji, Garrie, Maasai and Swahili communities in a celebration of identity and peaceful coexistence.

Participants travelled from Laikipia, Garissa, Mandera, Isiolo, Wajir, Marsabit and Samburu counties to take part in the festival, which aimed at ending long-standing hostilities and strengthening ties in trade, education and sustainable development.

Many of the communities represented have for decades endured inter-clan clashes arising from border disputes and competition over grazing land and water.

Inside the social hall, sensory richness defined the day. The aroma of spiced camel milk tea and nyirinyiri (fried meat) filled the air.

Inaugural Cushitic Cultural Day Promotes Peace — Nanyuki came to a standstill as communities gathered to advance peace | Credit: James Murimi

Attendees adorned in colourful shukas, intricate beadwork, embroidered Somali diracs and coastal buibui showcased the elegance of their cultures.

Distinctive headgear – from Borana turbans to Rendille feather crowns – added to the pageantry.

The maiden cultural gathering was widely praised as a landmark in Kenya’s pursuit of inclusive cultural recognition.

Speakers underscored that the event symbolised unity among communities that share both history and challenges.

They urged residents, including those living in the diaspora, to denounce cattle rustling, banditry and other practices that have strained relations among pastoralist groups.

Dream Team Group, the organizers, announced that Cushitic Cultural Day will now be held annually to promote peace and preserve the communities’ cultural heritage, including languages, cuisines, homestead designs and oral traditions.

Former National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, who led the celebrations, said the event offered an important moment of reflection.

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“We have come here to remind ourselves about our traditional cuisine, dwellings, homestead setups, clothing, and artefacts that define us as Cushite communities,” he said.

“This initiative, led largely by women, will go a long way in sustaining cultural practices that are facing extinction.”

Yatani emphasised the need for peaceful coexistence and unity of purpose.

“Nanyuki is a cosmopolitan town that hosts people from all Kenyan communities. This diversity should be our strength as we build a united country for future generations.”

Ms Ailo Waqo of the Burji community, said their women had prepared various traditional dishes to showcase their culinary heritage.

“The Burji are agro-pastoralists. We farm, keep livestock and engage in business across Kenya,” she said.

“Most of our dishes are medicinal and very beneficial. We rely on natural manure from our animals instead of chemical fertilizers.”

Borana representative Ms Golicha Ngababu said their participation aimed to revive cultural practices that many young people were abandoning.

“As women, we have constructed these traditional houses according to Borana customs,” she said.

“Traditionally, women build homes while men tend to the livestock. Many of our educated members overlook these traditions, so we are here to showcase our rich culture.”

The festival ended with renewed calls for unity, reminding communities that peace and cultural pride can go hand in hand.