BY ZALIMON BASIGHALHA (GOODLUCK)
The community in Kasese district has been challenged to use the forthcoming Rwenzori Theluji (Snow) Festival to plant more trees.
At least six million trees including traditional, medicinal, bamboo and fruit trees are expected to be planted during the exercise that officially begins on Saturday 27/08/2022 and ends on 03/09/2022 in Kasese town.
During the festival a number of activities are expected to be carried out including tree planting and naming, waste and plastics collection and disposal under the theme, “My Tree, My Theluji (Snow).”
A number of community bio-diversity runs including the Fataki Hill Challenge (10Km run) the Leopard Run (21Km) and the elephant run (mountain 51 Km run) are expected to be carried out on the very first day of August 27, 2022.
Engineer Gabriel Fataki, the National Chairperson for the Organizing Committee for the Rwenzori Theluji Festival, was speaking on Wednesday during a meeting of all stakeholders at Shiloh Hotel in Kasese town. He explained that on September 02, 2022, there would also be competitions for selecting the Miss Tourism Rwenzori where a number of ladies have contested for the noble cause.
He also revealed that on September 03, 2022, the district would also host the International Run (Mt Rwenzori Marathon) with the participants running 41 kilometres from Stanley Street commonly known as Mariana Street in Kasese town to Kyanjuki in Bulembia Division two rounds.
Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, the former Defense Minister and current Kasese District NRM Chairperson, who officiated at the meeting, revealed that Kasese would this time round witness a lot of good things that would help to promote and restore the beautiful sceneries of the Rwenzori Mountains, appealing to the community members to welcome the visitors with the best hospitality that they deserve.
He also courted the community members to use such an opportunity to showcase their handcraft and to also conserve the environment through tree and bamboo planting.
Mr. John Henry Baguma, the General Secretary for the Event, called upon the community members to always channel the running water into their crop gardens other than leaving it to destroy the constructed roads in their respective areas.
Mr. Baguma used the same platform to implore the residents to embrace bamboo planting, adding that they had secured a new type that would be used for making clothes and jewelry among other things.
