The Alur Kingdom has commenced celebrations to mark the 16th Coronation Anniversary of His Majesty Ubimu Philip Olarker Rauni III, with a call to use cultural heritage as a tool for socioeconomic transformation.
The celebrations began on Friday night in Nyaravur, Angal Town Council, Nebbi District, with a traditional Agwara dance that welcomed the King to a bonfire gathering attended by his subjects.
The evening featured cultural performances, traditional instruments, displays of indigenous household items and the popular Alur delicacy, fish.
Seated around the bonfire, King Olarker Rauni III also engaged his subjects through traditional folklore, sharing cultural knowledge and stories passed down through generations.
The anniversary is being celebrated under the theme **“Alur Culture for Socioeconomic Transformation of the Community,”** highlighting the role of cultural institutions in promoting unity, preserving identity and improving livelihoods.
The main celebrations are taking place today, Saturday, November 14, at Nyaravur Primary School, with thousands of Alur people from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo expected to attend.
The King is expected to address his subjects on wealth creation, health, unity and youth employment as key priorities for development across the Kingdom.
Speaking ahead of the celebrations, Prince Vincent Ocaya, the Deputy Prime Minister and Executive Director of Ker Alur, said the Kingdom was embracing positive cultural changes while maintaining its traditional identity.
He explained that the institution is working to address cultural practices that previously disadvantaged women, including restrictions on nutrition and land inheritance.
Ocaya said the Kingdom was promoting women's access to nutritious foods, land rights and other opportunities as part of its development agenda.
The Kingdom is also working with the Government of Uganda to promote commercial coffee growing, particularly in Zombo and parts of Nebbi District, as a means of improving household incomes and reducing poverty.
The Alur Kingdom, also known as Ker Alur, has communities across northwestern Uganda and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the Kingdom, its administrative structure comprises 64 chiefdoms, including 56 in Uganda and eight in the DRC.
The 16th anniversary celebrations are being hosted by Kaal Padwot Chiefdom, with Kaal Mbaro and Kaal Angal as co-hosts.
The event marks 16 years since King Olarker Rauni III's coronation in 2010 and provides an opportunity for the Kingdom to reflect on its cultural heritage and development priorities.
By Joseph Omagor | NBS West Nile
