Dr Ida Odinga, Raila Odinga’s wife lit up the County Christmas tree as Kisumu City came alive with pomp and glamour to kick-start the 10 days of fun-filled Street Festival.
The celebration led by Mama Ida marked the official opening of the second edition of the Annual Kisumu Street Fest to the jubilation of the local residents and traders at the Central Square along Oginga Odinga Street.
This year’s Christmas event is expected to attract more than 3,000 people, including the local residents, stakeholders and the business community.
On the City’s Communal Vision, the enthusiastic fest-goers will celebrate their cultural diversity and adequately provide them with a platform for great business networking opportunities.
Of great significance, the festival will also offer the business community the much-needed opportunity to make brisk sales in 24-hour-heightened security surveillance.
“In this way, supermarkets shall be allowed to operate 24 hours and traders will also be allowed to freely sell their wares in the street,’’ said Abala Wanga, the Acting City Manager.
Wanga also reassured the local residents that security will be beefed up within the City and its environs to enable them fully enjoy their festive season.
The marquee celebrations will be distinctively held within Central Square, Kisumu Sports Ground, Oginga Odinga Street and Jomo Kenyatta Avenue.
To bar any interference from vehicular movement, roads have been partially closed and traffic marshals are strategically stationed to direct motorists on alternative routes.
Like the 1st Edition in 2021, the Street Festival promises a basket full of activities like the thrills in general entertainment from different artists, singing of melodious Christmas carols and showcasing of aesthetic artifacts and products by traders in an exhibition.
The ever-popular children’s funfair will have frill sections for face painting, and bouncing castle among other games.
‘‘I am looking forward to making a brisk business and lots of profits from my food kiosk, just like the previous year. We also serve different traditional delicacies from where the visitors can choose and sample like tilapia, osuga, mbuta, mito and many others,’’ said Gladys Olunga, a food vendor at Chichwa market.
The opening event was also graced by Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili, Members of Parliament Dr Joshua Oron (Kisumu Central) and Anthony Oluoch (Mathare), County Speaker Elisha Oraro, County Secretary John Ouma, and a host of local MCAs.
Kisumu is richly-endowed with tourism resources like community-based tourism, natural attraction, heritage products and hospitality.
Philip Nyandera, a city-based taxi driver, is optimistic that he will be transporting many clients to and –from the street fest to different destinations.
In this way, the festive bonanza will also help the visitors discover Kisumu County’s unique and attractive features like Lake Victoria, Kit Mikayi, Ndere Island National Park and Impala Park.
