Deputy President Kithure Kindiki says local cultures and languages are critical to national development, calling for their preservation amid technological advancement and other emerging threats.
Kindiki said Kenya is founded on strong cultural values that must be protected at all costs to ensure a prosperous and advanced nation.
Speaking on Monday during the closing of the 98th Kenya Music and Cultural Festival Gala in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County, the DP added that Kenya’s Constitution clearly spells out the importance of culture in the nation’s advancement.
“Language and culture are the strongest form of identity one can ever have. They are stronger than any career or education. Anyone abandoning their language is a slave. Language and culture form the bedrock of our Constitution, and the State is obligated to protect our diverse cultures and languages. The Constitution demands that all of us be protected in our diversity,” the DP stated.
He reiterated that the nation’s ‘hardware’—including good infrastructure such as roads, water systems, and electricity—must be complemented by the best ‘software,’ which he described as strong morals and values, for the country to realise faster development.
“As much as we build the hardware, we need to focus on our software. We must promote good morals among our children because you can have intelligent children but with poor morals, who end up being useless and heading nowhere,” he emphasized.
The festival featured a mix of music, dance, drama, traditional plays, attire, and food, showcasing the richness of Kenya’s cultural heritage.
The DP called on parents and guardians to pass positive cultural traits to the next generation, raising concerns that many children have not adopted as much from the older generation as they should.
“Many of our children have little respect for our traditions and culture—little respect for elders, community, and traditions. We must work hard to impart these values on them and reset the foundation of our nation,” Kindiki said.
In highlighting the nation’s infrastructure progress, the Deputy President pointed to ongoing expansion of the road network, increased electricity connections, and improvements in water systems, in line with the Kenya Kwanza Administration’s commitments.
He said the dualling of the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway, one of the government’s signature projects, is being expedited and will be extended to Eldoret and later Malaba.
The government is also speeding up electricity connections, currently at 10.6 million households, with a target of universal access by 2030.
Irrigation of more than two million acres of land is also underway to boost food production.
The DP said all these initiatives are achievable through innovative funding methods, including the pursuit of public-private partnerships and the sale of stakes in government-owned companies.
“We must look for innovative ways to build more roads, water systems, electricity and other infrastructure projects,” he stated.
The DP was joined by Gender and Culture Cabinet Secretary Hanna Cheptumo, Culture and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, Kericho Governor Erick Mutai, MPs Julius Rutto (Kesses), Joseph Wainaina (Nominated), among others.
