LAMU CULTURAL FESTIVAL TO GO AHEAD AFTER ALL
(Posted 26th November 2014)
News are just emerging from Lamu that the annual Lamu Cultural Festival will after all go ahead as the curfew in place has apparently been lifted for the duration of the festival between 28th and 30th of this month.
With just two days to go however before the festival kicks off will it be a giant task to mobilize, advertise and get crowds come to Lamu, especially in view of more recent developments elsewhere in the country.
Locally, that is in Kenya, is a social media campaign now going underway to try and tell the public at large that the festival will take place and that the programme for the three days has been finalized, sponsors are on board and that most important for visitors from upcountry, scheduled flights from Wilson Airport to the Lamu aerodrome continue uninterrupted.
Sponsors with social media accounts have also jumped into the arena and are themselves now tweeting and posting messages on their Facebook pages to make that extra effort to get visitors to this most ancient of all Kenyan towns and participate in the event which in recent years has become one of the flag bearers’ of cultural showcasing of the wide range of Kenya’s regions.
Said a regular source from the Kenya coast: ‘There is not much time left now but we will try. The problem will be getting people travel in busses because not many can afford to go by air and you can see the challenge with this mode of transport. I expect therefore much smaller numbers to come to Lamu this year. I still think it was right to go ahead with the festival to make an example that we will not be stopped by people like Kimaiyo [Kenya’s under intense
pressure to resign or be fired Inspector General of Police] who kept everyone guessing about the curfew if it is lifted or not. At least now are the people of Lamu and visitors for the festival assured that they are not arrested when they enjoy themselves having a night out on town. I think this year’s Lamu Festival is at once a triumph over all the challenges and uphill struggle it faced this year but also an indictment for our government who have failed us at the coast in so many ways’.
The programme, which is shown below, will commence this Friday 28th November at 14.00 hrs, allowing visitors flying in on the morning flights from Nairobi to see the opening of the festival and will end on Sunday at 18.00 hrs.
All the best to the organizers, sponsors and all the visitors who will undertake the journey to be part of the Lamu Cultural Festival 2014.
