By REUBEN OLITA
September 21, 2026|President William Ruto and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni are expected to lead about 80 kings and their queens to Amagoro, Busia County, for the fourth anniversary celebrations of Iteso cultural leader His Royal Highness Papa Paul Sande Etomeileng Emolot.
The historic cultural gathering is scheduled for October 31 at Amagoro Comprehensive School and will be the first major Emorimor anniversary celebration to be held in Kenya since his installation in 2022.
ICU Minister for Roads and Public Works Okwara Ekirapa confirmed the expected attendance on Saturday during the commissioning of newly appointed Teachers Service Commission officers at Hotel Suddex in Amagoro, Teso North Sub-County.
Mr Ekirapa said preparations for the high-profile event were progressing, with a planning committee chaired by Chris Barasa holding regular meetings.
“Preparations to receive the Presidents, Kings, their Queens and a host of dignitaries are ongoing,” he said.
The minister said Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had not yet confirmed his attendance.
He, however, said the celebrations would bring together traditional rulers from different parts of the world, including the Zulu King of South Africa, giving the event an international cultural dimension.
Mr Ekirapa said the organisers were relying largely on community support and well-wishers because no specific budget had been set aside for the event.
“We have no budget for this historic event which has been bestowed on us by Papa Emorimor. We rely on people like you. We think we shall succeed for the benefit and welfare of the Ateker communities in East Africa,” he said.
The celebrations were initially scheduled for October 22–24 but were rescheduled to October 29–31 to accommodate President Ruto’s diary.
According to the organisers, various activities will take place on October 29 and 30 before the celebrations culminate on October 31 in the presence of President Ruto and other dignitaries.
Representatives from the Ateker communities in Turkana, South Sudan and other regions are expected to attend, alongside governors, senior government officials and cultural leaders.
Kenyan invitations have also been extended to officials from the ministries responsible for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Gender and Culture, Sports, Environment and Interior, as well as the National Museums of Kenya.
All elected leaders, including Members of County Assembly, have also been invited.
The gathering is expected to provide the Ateker nations with an opportunity to discuss regional cooperation and matters affecting the welfare and cultural development of their communities.
A chairman is expected to be elected from among the participating Kenyan governors, with the organisers proposing that the leadership position rotates among the participating Ateker regions.
The organising committee will also hold a leaders’ meeting at Kakapel on October 29 to finalise strategies for receiving and welcoming the visiting Presidents, Kings and other dignitaries.
The event is expected to bring together the Ateker communities in a celebration of their shared cultural heritage while providing a platform for discussions on regional cooperation.