By Okumu Livingstone Langol
Photo: Dorothy and Anyang Nyong’o and Ambassador Otunnu. Photo: Nyong’o Facebook page.
Gulu City, UGANDA–Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, the Governor of Kisumu County in Kenya and a respected academic and political figure, visited Gulu City in mid-December 2025 as part of historic cultural and diplomatic engagements with Acholi leaders and communities.
The visit was widely described as a new dawn for cultural reunification—what some elders termed a symbolic “remarriage” of Luo communities, aimed at preserving shared lineage, heritage, and identity.
Prof. Nyong’o is also the father of Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o.
Political commentators across the Great Lakes region have described the visit by the Luo icon as a major breakthrough in the long-standing quest for Luo unity, leadership, and cultural revival. The visit was organized by two leading figures behind the revival of Rocco Paco Acholi cultural norms: former UN Under-Secretary-General Dr. Olara Otunnu and Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo Chigamoi.
Their aim was to strengthen ties between Kenyan Luo and Acholi communities that span Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan, and to celebrate a shared cultural heritage.
Speaking during discussions on December 17, 2025, Prof. Nyong’o emphasized themes of unity, identity, resilience, and mutual respect. He described Gulu and the Acholi region in poetic terms as a “heartland of resilience,” calling its culture a “living fire” that must be carried forward.
His visit extended beyond formal meetings. Prof. Nyong’o attended traditional gatherings, toured historical sites, and participated in cultural dances alongside local leaders, including the First Lady, highlighting the importance of cultural diplomacy grounded in mutual respect.
The TASK Center in Gulu City was filled to capacity as Acholi elders from across the region gathered. Members of the Acholi community living in Jinja, Kampala, and Entebbe joined their counterparts from Agago, Omoro, Pader, Lamwo, Kitgum, Amuru, and Nwoya districts, all eager to catch a glimpse of Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o.
However, not everyone was convinced.
Francis Opoka, popularly known as Mukungu Caro, expressed skepticism. He questioned whether such high-profile visits translate into tangible change for ordinary people.
“So what?” Opoka asked. “We have seen Luo scholars across Northern Uganda and Luo Nyanza dominate Western academic spaces and global platforms, yet the Acholi of Northern Uganda remain among the poorest, and the Luo are marginalized in Kenya’s political backyard. And yet we have figures like Dr. Olara Otunnu, Prof. Nyong’o, and Prof. PLO Lumumba—people who have impressed the world with both quality and quantity of intellect.”
Mukungu Caro argued that cultural unity must move beyond symbolism.
“I will only be happy when cultural unity and shared heritage are translated into real action,” he said. “The deep historical connection between the Luo of Kenya and the Acholi of Northern Uganda must be reawakened. Let Prof. Nyong’o bring thousands of young Luo girls and boys from Kenya to Acholi land. That is what I call reconnection and celebration of common tradition.”
He went further, calling for concrete cultural reforms.
“We must rebuild broken ties born out of fear on both sides,” he stressed. “Cultural preservation and revitalization should focus on youth and traditional leadership—protecting language, dance, and practices across East Africa’s Luo-speaking regions.”
Although December 27–29, 2025 had initially been set aside for Rocco Paco celebrations, Prof. Nyong’o’s week-long engagement with Central Luo leaders effectively took precedence, to the satisfaction of many participants.
Observers also recalled the historic visit of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga to Acholi land some 65 years ago, noting that Prof. Nyong’o appeared to be following in those footsteps as a leading figure within the Luo political tradition and as a senior leader of Kenya’s ODM party.
