SUMMARY

The Luo is a Nilotic ethnic group in Kenya who mostly inhabits the shores of Lake Victoria. Small numbers of Luo can also be found in the regions around Lake Victoria in Uganda and Tanzania. Together with the Luhya, the Luo are the second largest ethnic group in Kenya, constituting 13% - 14% of the total population respectively.

It is believed that the Luo, together with other Nilotic groups, originally migrated from the Nile regions of Sudan. The most important economic activity for the Luo is fresh-water fishing. Much of the fish is locally consumed but some, especially the Nile perch, is exported to Europe. Additionally, agriculture and foremost sugar cane and cotton farming are important parts of the Luo livelihood.

Unlike other Kenyan groups the Luo did not have their land taken by the British colonizers. Nevertheless, the Luo played an important role in the struggle for Kenya´s independence. After winning the independence, the Luo were politically very active. Indeed, Kenya´s first vice president, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, belonged to the Luo. Yet, Odinga resigned his vice presidency after two years in 1966 due to political differences and instead joined the opposition and formed a new party, called Kenya Peoples Union. The Kenya People´s Union, highly popular among the Luo, was banned in 1969 when Kenya was transformed into a one party state. Today, Odinga´s second son Raila Odinga serves as Kenya´s Prime Minister in the national unity coalition government which was formed after the contested 2007 presidential elections.

The Luo has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.