Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Thursday used the Logooli Cultural Festival in Vihiga County to underscore the link between culture, leadership, and youth inclusion in Kenya’s social development.
Addressing residents at the Mbale Municipal Grounds, Mudavadi said cultural gatherings remain an important platform for communities to preserve identity while shaping leadership values that respond to present and future realities.
His remarks were shared through statements posted on his official X account.
The Prime CS said the Logooli festival, held under the theme “Uvwami ni Miandu,” meaning leadership is wealth, highlighted how traditional values can inform modern governance and community organisation.
He noted that leadership anchored in shared values strengthens unity and continuity across generations.
Mudavadi placed particular emphasis on the role of young people, praising the festival’s organisers for deliberately involving the youth in planning and participation.
According to Mudavadi, young people bring ideas, energy, and talent that cultural institutions need in order to remain relevant in a rapidly changing society.
“To remain future-focused, we must intentionally create space for new voices and adapt to changing times,” Mudavadi said in his statement, warning that failure to do so risks alienating the generation that will inherit leadership responsibilities.
The Prime CS also reflected on the longevity of the Logooli Cultural Festival, which is now in its 46th year.
He said the steady progress toward its Golden Jubilee at 50 years demonstrates resilience, unity, and the enduring strength of the Logooli community’s cultural heritage.
Cultural festivals have increasingly become spaces where national leaders engage communities beyond formal political settings, especially as Kenya continues to grapple with questions of inclusion, intergenerational leadership, and social cohesion.
Mudavadi’s attendance comes amid broader government messaging on the importance of cultural identity in national development, as enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution, which recognises culture as the foundation of the nation and obligates the state to promote and protect cultural expression.
The event drew community elders, youth groups, and local leaders, reinforcing the festival’s role as a unifying platform.