Nyakach Elders Development Group and Culture Centre in Katito, Council Chairman Mzee Ogongo Oyano. Faith Matete 
Elders in Nyakach Sub-county Kisumu. Faith Matete A dispute over the inclusion of political activities has created uncertainty around this year's Nyakach Cultural Day after the Nyakach Council of Elders announced it will boycott the annual event and organise its own celebration instead.
The elders say the event slated for August 14 at Kasaye in Nyakach, Kisumu County, no longer reflects its original purpose of preserving and promoting the community's cultural heritage.
Addressing the media at the Nyakach Elders Development Group and Culture Centre in Katito, Council Chairman Mzee Ogongo Oyano said the programme had been altered without the elders' approval by incorporating activities they consider political rather than cultural.
According to Oyano, the event will now feature a ceremony to endorse various politicians within the constituency and a women empowerment programme.
He argued that these additions have shifted the focus away from celebrating Nyakach traditions.
"Our cultural day was established to preserve our heritage, not to provide a platform for political campaigns," Oyano said, adding that the council could not associate itself with an event whose programme had been changed.
The chairman maintained that although Kasaye was scheduled to host this year's edition, the council no longer recognises the August 14 gathering as the official Nyakach Cultural Day.
Instead, the elders intend to announce a new date for what they describe as the authentic cultural celebration.
Council member Odera Alolo echoed the chairman's sentiments, insisting that the elders have always kept politics separate from cultural affairs.
"We have consistently protected our cultural events from political influence, and that principle remains unchanged," Alolo said.
The elders further clarified that any member of the council who attends the August 14 event, expected to be attended by Finance Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, will be doing so in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the council.
Another council member, Paul Buo
do, urged political leaders to respect traditional institutions by allowing cultural events to remain dedicated to preserving customs, educating younger generations and strengthening community identity.
He warned that introducing political programmes into cultural celebrations risks undermining the very purpose for which the annual event was created.
Oyano also rejected suggestions that the boycott had been orchestrated by outside interests, saying the council reached its decision independently in line with its responsibility to safeguard Nyakach's cultural heritage.
With the elders withdrawing from the August 14 event, uncertainty now surrounds this year's celebrations as two separate activities are set to emerge , one organised by the current event planners and another to be announced by the Council of Elders.
