Two men wrestle during the Migwena Community Sports and Cultural Festival 2023 on Saturday December 30, 2023.
Some partners meet through friends, others through church, clubs or even educational institutions, yet others meet at a sporting event deep in the village.
Kenya’s first vice-president, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and his wife fall in the latter group.
The Nation caught up with Mzee Odida Buoga, chairman of the Bondo branch of the Luo Council of Elders, on the last day of the Migwena Sports and Cultural Festival at the famous Migwena grounds, where Jaramogi met his wife.
Mzee Odida explained that it was at Migwena that Jaramogi met Mary Odima, the mother of Raila Odinga.
“As soon as Jaramogi noticed the young girl from Alego, he immediately sent emissaries to the vibrant athlete and that is how he got Raila and Oburu’s mother,” said Mzee Odida.
The grounds, in Bondo Sub-County used to be a place of conflict between the Uyoma, Asembo and Sakwa communities. Later, it became a place of celebration and was placed under the leadership of Luo elders.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo (right) make their way to the Migwena Community Sports and Cultural Festival 2023 on December 30, 2023.
Migwena is a large piece of public land measuring about 32 acres and is partly owned by the community and the Siaya County government.
The grounds have been in use since the early 1930s, initially hosting wrestling tournaments and later evolving into a full-fledged platform for cultural activities in the 1960s. This has fostered peace among the communities in the area.
The events of the festivals were to begin on December 30 and climax on January 1 every year. Participants came from as far as Alego, Ugenya, Gem, Asembo, Uyoma and Yimbo. Then in 2013, after the first county government was formed, the festival fizzled out.
For Mr Odinga, the festivals bring back memories of his childhood. As he kicked off the day with a boat race and watched the traditional wrestling on Saturday, he recalled the old days when he, too, got into a fight here.
“I used to come here when I was a young boy about 12 years old and I used to trek from Nyamira to here, which is quite a distance. When I visit this festival, I am nostalgic,” said Mr Odinga while addressing the crowd. He was accompanied by his wife Ida, Siaya County Governor James Orengo, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and county officials.
Earlier in the day, Mr Odinga presided over the commencement of the fencing of the entire grounds.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga (left), his wife Mary and their son Oburu Oginga at their Kileleshwa home in Nairobi.
For Mr Orengo, the annual celebration is a reflection of the community’s identity, a showcase of its rich cultural heritage, and a platform for the talent that thrives in the communities.
“I emphasise the importance of sports, culture and the arts as integral elements in making the Migwena Sports and Cultural Festival a resounding success and a lasting legacy for generations to come. Sport can serve as a powerful vehicle for social change,” said Mr Orengo.
He urged everyone to use the platform to break down barriers and build a community that thrives on diversity and mutual respect.
Ms Anjeline Atieno Oduor, Siaya County’s executive for Tourism, Sports and Culture, said the three-day event serves as a reminder of the cultural identities of local communities.
As the curtains came down on the events, it is also believed that the venue has its dark side, with old people in the area saying it is the same venue where Jaramogi had a premonition of his death.
The opposition doyen returned to Migwena on January 1, 1994 to watch the sports. He is said to have told the gathering that he is human, in reference to myths that he was immortal. When he breathed his last 19 days later, many claimed that he had predicted his death with those words.
