World Tourism Day highlights Lira
Revellers watch an ostrich that was taken to Lira as part of the live zoo during celebrations to mark World Tourism Day. Other animals like pythons, ostriches, peacocks and the crested cranes were also showcased. Photo by by Bill Oketch.
Out of the country’s 112 districts, Lira won the prime destination for 2015’s national celebration of what is now the world’s leading economic sector. Until last week, majority of residents there had negligible awareness about tourism, its contribution to economic growth, development and the possibility of creating up to one billion opportunities.
“Forget about cash crops. Not even coffee generates this much! Forget potatoes...,” a zealous Maria Mutagamba, the minister of Tourism, Wild life and Antiquities, told the congregation at Lira Golf course last Sunday, referring to the 9.9 per cent GDP contribution to the economy from Tourism, an industry employing more than 530,000 Ugandans and creating 20,000 jobs annually.
While Uganda joined other 161 member countries of World Tourism Organisation for the celebrations, Ugandans from several regions visited Lira for exploration of its diverse culture, food, hospitable people and rich historical contribution to the nation, let alone its billion-worth tourist attractions. Lira Woman Member of Parliament Eunice Anna Okullo requested the minister to have these captured in national data to draw tourists to the district.
The activities
Lira followed other districts, including Mbarara, Kampala and Kisoro where previous celebrations have been held. “Every year, we go to a different part of the country. We want every Ugandan to know that Uganda is different so that even if you haven’t been there, through the celebration you, are able to know about cultures, traditions and natural sights elsewhere,” Uganda Tourism Board’s (UTB) public relations officer Vincent Mugaba explained.
At the golf course, local businessmen sold crafts, clothes, groceries and Akilo Agriculture Farm, best known for its organic honey, made brisk sales at the weekend. In a tent, Kampala City Council Authority showcased photography depicting Kampala, a changed city with high-rising buildings and very protective of its bio diversity.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) wowed Lira with mascots of gorillas. Revellers, especially children, were fascinated by the “creatures” whose wearers did justice with entertaining comic antiques.
Brochures depicting Uganda’s wildlife were handy to inform people of the country’s diversity but the live zoo, which was carried to the grounds, drew more than hundreds to the location. Several people saw pythons, ostriches, peacocks and crested cranes let alone a lion, for the first time.
A partnership between UTB and UWA took Lira residents to the Murchison Falls National Park at only Shs65,000, inclusive of entrance, accommodation, meals and a game drive. Other experiences included climbing Ngetta hill, as the Association for Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) repainted the faded Zebra crossing at Lira Main Market. AUTO’s Eric Ntalo said it is with respect to protecting lives of people who are very central in tourism.
Local council leaders welcomed visitors to their localities, while Lira’s eloquent mayor, Morris Ogung Omaram gave a memorable speech in respect of tourism.
Steven Asiimwe, the UTB chief executive officer, recapped the week-long activities which included school outreach programmes, teaching students about tourism and encouraging the building of tourism clubs.
St Katherine Girl’s School won the school clubs challenge with their composition song. They impressed with a cultural war dance dressed in animal skin carrying spears and shields, with energetic dance moves.
Exploring night life
The nights made for light trips to Lira’s several restaurants and night clubs, especially for the young energetic visitors. Several tour operators took time to discover new locations perhaps to better guide tourists next time, as they hopped from one club to another and tried out the staple pasted meals (pasted chicken, pasted meat) at several restaurants.
Saturday night was a musical tribute to the global celebration where local artiste Cindy Sanyu graced the Lira Hotel stage, curtain-raised by acts Mzee B and Captain Ice. She thrilled the revellers with her riveting dance moves and reggae dancehall sound.
Speaking about the importance of promoting places like Lira, Ms Mutagamba said: “When a tourist comes to lira, they are going to spend at the hotel, restaurants must feed him, that food has to come from the region. The boda boda man who rides them around the town benefits and that is big business.”
The minister urged Ugandans to treat tourism as a sustainable business export and encouraged them to tell and document their stories.
Other attractions
Barlonyo Memorial Site (pictured above). In the midst of the LRA rebel insurgence in northern Uganda, this camp was attacked and more than 300 civilians were killed, while at least 500 children were abducted. Collecting donations from whoever visits this site can help support the community there, and also value the story that comes with it.
Olum’s footprint. According to Lango oral tradition, Olum is the first man on earth, and father of Gipir and Labongo, the founders of Uganda’s northern tribes. “We call it Got Ibuje. That is where the footprint of Olum is. It has never disappeared from that hill,” Okullo said. Located on Apac Mountain, it draws the eye to the marvel of the mountain, its fauna and flora, merged with oral traditional tales of origins of Africa’s people.
Kangai. The location in Dokolo District where Buganda’s Kabaka Mwanga and Bunyoro’s Omukama Kabalega, were arrested and exiled during colonial injustice, is a rich storage of our people’s shared history transcending boundaries of north, central and western Uganda. Elements of this historical unity have been erased from the memory of social fabric.
Kungu. This is place is Apac District is said to be where the first Christian Missionaries entered the Lango Sub-region. The site provides a large contribution to Uganda’s historical values. Christianity and missionary activities that led to construction of schools, churches and colonial penetration carry along their own sentimental, developmental and controversial discussions.
Historical personalities worthy of monuments such as first Olympic champion John Akii Bua, former president Milton Obote and Field Marshal Okello, are among those Lira Woman MP Eunice Anna Okullo urged be recognised. “Before [current Olympic marathon champion Stephen] Kiprotich came, people had forgotten about Akii Bua, the first Lango gold medalist in Uganda. His monument needs to be there and that could bring us income. We had Field Marshal Okello who travelled up to Zanzibar and fought the Arabs with only a club, forcing Arabs out and recapturing the land,” she said before mentioning Apollo Milton Obote “father of this nation.”
