Eddie Butita says Luhya unity is impossible with 14 competing festivals
By Steve Ireri, August 17, 2025Comedian and creative entrepreneur Eddie Butita has weighed in on the state of cultural events in the Luhya community, saying that unity among the people remains out of reach as long as dozens of competing festivals continue to mushroom instead of a single consolidated celebration.
Speaking in a video shared on his Instagram page on Sunday, August 17, 2025, the SPM Buzz CEO expressed concern that the community has spread itself too thin, with more than fourteen different festivals taking place across different regions, each pulling crowds in fragmented directions rather than building one powerful platform.
He said the endless divisions had denied the Luhya people the chance to boast of a signature, large-scale cultural event that could truly define their identity and attract national attention.
“I think at this point I have accepted that Luhya unity will never happen anytime soon. As Luhyas, we have more than fourteen festivals, oh this festival and that festival. Can we not have just one big, powerful event? We have never had even one truly successful event,” Butita expressed.
The comedian noted that while Solfest has managed to thrive as a major Luhya event, the rest of the community’s efforts had remained scattered and failed to deliver the same level of impact.
He said it was ironic that each organiser seems determined to host a personal festival, rather than combining forces to create one monumental showcase that could rival Kenya’s biggest cultural gatherings.
“Well, sorry, we have Solfest, because that one is ours. That one works and is a really big event, but we need another major one. An event where we can combine people and come together instead of having so many scattered festivals,” he added.
He added that the disjointed approach not only weakens visibility for the community but also diminishes the economic and cultural power that could be achieved if organisers and stakeholders came together under one umbrella.
According to him, the success of Solfest proves that the Luhya people have the capacity to deliver an event of a grand scale, but unity remains the missing ingredient.
“At this point, I think every single Luhya has his own small festival. So, to the organisers, much respect to you, but I believe we need something major.”
Luo fest
Butita’s message comes shortly after the resounding success of the Luo Festival, hosted by the Luo community on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, which ran from 2:00 PM into the early hours of the following day.
The event attracted an impressive 16,000 attendees, marking it as one of the largest cultural gatherings in Kenya this year.
The festival featured an extensive lineup of performers, including Iyanii, Javan MacAjudo, Khaligraph Jones, Okello Max, Coster Ojwang, John Junior, Musa Jakadala, Osito Kale, Odongo Swag, Prince Indah, Tony Nyadundo, Emma Jalamo, and renowned DJ Joe Mfalme.
The festival’s success was attributed to meticulous planning and execution by Homeland Itoya Events.