The Kusi ideas festival in Kisumu was launched on 8th December 2020. The two-day event under the theme “Towards a Post Covid: Africa Recovering Together” was officially opened by Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Kusi Ideas Festival seeks to build a “Pan-African ideas transaction market” to capitalise on the opportunities and innovations available to Africa to help it win in the 21st Century.
Kusi Festival also seeks to contribute to shaping the agenda that will enable Africa to be a leading player in global politics and economics.
During the opening ceremony, the Kenyan Head of State welcomed the Kusi Festival dialogue as an important vehicle of promoting Pan African ideas on innovation recovery and sustainability.
The festival was also addressed by Kisumu Governor Professor Anyang’ NJyong’o. The professor said that the Festival “is being held at a time when Africa is positive about her future, looking forward to our cities growing in a planned way as homes to productive people who can feed themselves and sustain good health for all”.
Linking the festival to former President of the United States Barack Obama, Professor Nyongo said that “Kisumu’s story would not be complete without a mention of our proximity to Kogelo in Alego, the home of the father of America’s 44th president, Barack Obama.”
The annual Conference was last year held in Rwanda by the Nation Media Group and was hosted by H.E President Paul Kagame.
Other leaders who attended the event included H.E President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo, former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development secretary-general among others.
By KCN Correspondent
