RWENZORI THELUJI FESTIVAL 2023 ACTIVITIES LAUNCHED

By Obed Kithende

KASESE: The Kasese Tourism Investors Forum, a member-based entity that promotes and invests in tourism in the Rwenzori region, officially launched on Friday the activities and the roadmap of the 2023 Rwenzori Theluji Festival, which will have its climax in September this year.

Rwenzori Theluji Festival is an annual tourism festival that is characterized by various activities, including Miss Tourism Rwenzori, the Cultural and Trade Expo, and Explore Kasese, among others.

Addressing the press at the Virina Gardens Hotel in Kasese town, the National Chairperson of the Organizing Committee for Rwenzori Theluji Festival, Rev. Eng. Gabriel Fataki, said that this year’s festival is under the theme “Accelerating sustainable tourism investments in a competitive and globalized market place by enhancing destination Kasese with a memorable Rwenzori experience.”

Rev. Eng. Fataki highlighted some of the activities to take place in this year’s festival, including a community run (mock run), aerial tourism, greening and conserving the Rwenzori eco-system, cultural biodiversity, a business exhibition, a business summit, and a business workshop on mindset change, cleaning towns and cities in the Rwenzori region, and Miss Tourism Rwenzori, among others.

He added that the festival will officially be commissioned by the Miss Tourism Rwenzori Grand Finale, which took place on Friday (yesterday) at the District Multipurpose Hall and has attracted pageants from all districts of Kabarole, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, and Kamwenge, among others, that make up the Rwenzori region. 

And among the finalists are Rachael Tumushabe, Loreen Masika, Kevin Kabugho, Delish Natasha, Christine Eunice Kyakimwa, Mackline Aliganyira, and Bridget Kunihira, among others.

Rev. Eng. Fataki revealed that on August 19, 2023, there shall be a community run for talent development and identification from the local community, which shall happen two weeks before the international marathon to give room to the selected runners to prepare.

And it will feature 42 km that will start at Mariana in Kasese town to the Equator Line in Kikorongo and back to Mariana; 21 km that will start from Rwenzori Square to Ruboni tourism village camp and back to Rwenzori Square; and the 5km Fataki Hill Walk Challenge that will start from Rwenzori Square, the Diocese of Kasese Cathedral, Katadoba, Akabibiri trading center, and Chapa Hill.

He added that on August 21, 2023, there shall be a joint community tree and bamboo planting in the Uganda Investment Authority Industrial Park in Kasese Municipality, along Kasese-Fort Portal-Mbarara highways, and along River catchment areas. 

On September 2, Rev. Eng. Fataki said that there shall be the Mount Rwenzori International Marathon, which has been dubbed The Tusker Lite Mount Rwenzori Marathon, that shall be the climax of the Rwenzori Theluji Festival.

According to him, it shall feature a 42km run that will start at Mariana in Kasese town, go to the Equator Line in Kikorongo, and return to Mariana; a 21km run that will start and finish at Mariana/Stanbic Bank, going to Kilembe twice; and a 5km run that will start and finish at Rwenzori Square, running via Kilembe Road, Kyebambe Road, the Diocese of Kasese Cathedral, and finally to Rwenzori Square.

At the same press conference, the Chairperson of the Kasese Tourism Investors Forum, Benson Kule Baritazale, and the Kasese District Tourism Officer, Jovia Mbambu, all said that Kasese district has all the tourists’ attractions, appealing to the community to utilize them for social and economic transformation.

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