Chaos erupts at Maa Festival as attendees flee clash in Narok

The Maa Cultural and Tourism Festival was disrupted on Saturday after two rival groups clashed at Sekenani Gate in Narok West, forcing attendees to flee as the confrontation threw the gathering into chaos.

Videos circulating online captured people scrambling for safety as the violence unfolded, with chairs overturned and scattered across the venue. The confrontation disrupted festival activities, leaving parts of the grounds in disarray.

President William Ruto was among those attending the cultural event, which brings together members of the Maa community to celebrate their shared heritage and traditions.

Details of what sparked the confrontation, whether anyone was injured and the extent of the damage were not immediately established.

The disruption came amid growing controversy surrounding this year's festival, with some Maa leaders and local service providers having called for a boycott ahead of the event's opening.

The concerns centred on claims that organisers had failed to settle outstanding bills from previous editions. Artists, suppliers, traders and other service providers had raised complaints over alleged unpaid dues.

There were also demands for the government to compensate Samburu herders whose livestock were killed during a security operation.

However, the festival organisers dismissed allegations that suppliers had not been paid, maintaining that they had fulfilled their financial obligations.

The annual Maa Cultural and Tourism Festival was established in 2023 through a partnership between the county governments of Narok, Kajiado and Samburu, with the three counties taking turns to host the event.

It brings together Maa-speaking communities, including the Maasai, Samburu and Ilchamus, to showcase their traditions through music, dance, traditional clothing, food, beadwork and sporting activities.

Beyond the celebrations, the festival was designed to strengthen unity among the communities, preserve indigenous knowledge, promote tourism and create economic opportunities for local residents.

The inaugural edition was held at Sekenani Gate in Narok in 2023, before the festival moved to Samburu National Reserve in 2024 and Amboseli National Park in Kajiado in 2025.

The fourth edition returned to Sekenani Gate this year, but the clashes threatened to overshadow the cultural celebrations.