Oginga Odinga street, Ang’awa street and Uhuru Highway have been closed as residents in Kisumu show up in their hundreds to mark the Christmas festivities.
Twenty-four restaurants and wine sellers have set up tents on the Uhuru Highway and Oginga Odinga streets to feed the mammoth crowds. Some of the foods munched are traditional such as aliya, athola, smoked fish and local vegetables .
Aliya is dried beef stew. When a cow was slaughtered the remaining unconsumed meat was dried in the sun to preserve it, as there were no refrigerators.
It took about three to four days to dry completely. This meat would then be cooked and consumed, at a later date. Athola on the otherhand is a form of roasted beef stew.
Bars and restaurant operators have also mounted tents along the Uhuru Highway to sell beer, wine and food to clients.
Some of the bars and restaurants participating included Ram X B, Kakwacha Foods and Vimba club.
The festivities officially kicked off on Friday, December 24 Kisumu’s skies were painted with fireworks moments after ODM leader Raila Odinga launched the party.
Not even the heavy rains that had threatened to interrupt the jamboree barred residents from turning out in their numbers to mark the event.
Odinga said the carnival was one of its kind and added that charitable activities should also be a priority for residents.
“The difference between human beings and animals is what they do on earth. Let us take this opportunity to give back to others,” said Raila.