Held in Mbale

Mbale

Mbale is a city in Eastern Uganda. It is the main municiplal, administrative and commercial center of Mbale District and the surrounding sub-region. The district is named after the town.-Location:...

 town every 26 December, the Maragoli Cultural Festival was for a long time, in decades gone by, the biggest event of the year in the region - coming a day after chrismas: probably the biggest holiday in kenya; and frequently attended by the former president Daniel Arap Moi

Daniel arap Moi

Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...

.

It is a showcase of the culture and traditions of, not only the Maragoli but, the whole Luhya community that resides in Vihiga District

Vihiga District

Vihiga District is an administrative district in the Western Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Mbale, which is located in Vihiga Division. The district has a population of 498,883 and an area of 563 km²...

. This luhya community comprises the Maragoli

Maragoli

The Maragoli, or Logoli , are the second largest tribe of the 6 million-strong Luhya nation in Kenya, after the Bukusu. The dialect they speak is called Llogoli, Urulogoli, or Maragoli....

, bunyore, tiriki and the neighbouring idakho and kisa.

The festival is organised by the Vihiga Cultural Society.

The first patron was the late Moses Mudavadi

Moses Mudavadi

Moses Mudamba Mudavadi was a politician in early post-independence kenya.Moses Mudavadi was the first patron of the Maragoli Cultural Festival....

, father of one of Kenya's two deputy prime ministers Musalia Mudavadi

Musalia Mudavadi

Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government.Mudavadi was born in Sabatia, Vihiga District...

.