- Ruto and Oburu were crowned during the Piny Luo Festival.
- They received traditional symbols of leadership.
- Oburu described the moment as an honour and responsibility.
- Ruto pledged support for a cultural centre at Thimlich Ohinga.
President William Ruto and ODM party leader Oburu Oginga have been formally crowned as elders of the Luo community in a colourful cultural ceremony held in Migori County.
The two leaders were installed on Wednesday, December 17, during the 5th edition of the Piny Luo Festival. The ceremony was presided over by the Ker Luo, the community’s cultural leader.
As part of the ritual, Ruto and Oburu were presented with traditional symbols of leadership, including a ruler’s seat, a shield, a spear, a whisk, and a cultural cloth. The items symbolised authority, responsibility, and service to the community.
Speaking after the brief ceremony, Oburu said the recognition was a great honour and a call to serve. The Siaya Senator noted that being crowned as a Luo elder came with expectations of integrity and unity.
“Today marks a great honour as I am officially crowned a Luo community leader at Thimlich Ohinga in Migori County. I accept this responsibility with humility and a deep commitment to serve with integrity, unity, and purpose,” Oburu said.
President Ruto, who was crowned alongside Oburu, said the preservation of culture is key to unity and national cohesion. He committed to supporting the establishment of a proper cultural centre at Thimlich Ohinga.
“Later at the Thimlich Ohinga Historic Site, I was honoured to be crowned as a Luo elder together with Hon Oburu Odinga,” Ruto stated.
“We agreed to support the establishment of a cultural centre at Thimlich Ohinga to preserve our history, promote tourism, and pass our heritage to future generations,” he added.
Beyond culture, the President also used the occasion to touch on politics. He signalled that a future political arrangement between UDA and ODM remains possible.
Ruto said ODM must first strengthen its internal structures so it can engage UDA as an equal partner.
“The ODM party must get its act together and stand firm. We want a strong ODM so that we can jointly plan the leadership of Kenya. When ODM is organised, I will also organise UDA, and then we can agree on how to form a government,” he said.
The ceremony marked a rare moment where culture, history, and politics met, leaving many observers reading deeper meaning into the symbolism of the day.
