MBARARA– Businessmen, traders, and corporate companies have contributed over Shs 60 million to fund activities as they join the rest of the residents to mark three years since Mbarara Municipality gained city status on July 1, 2020.
This was revealed this morning during a press conference held at Mbarara City Council head offices where officials gave an update on the ongoing festival activities.
Alfred Okello, the project manager of Mbarara City Festival, said Mbarara City Council has not injected any coin into the festival activities, even though they are part of the organisers.
“We have had very many people and companies have supported us. For example, Igongo Cultural Centre has given us the venue, breakfast, conference facilities, cultural entertainment for the symposium while Mbarara City Traders Association has sponsored other activities,” Okello said.
He said others like Prudential Insurance, Century Bottling Company Limited, Cool Events, Ababet, Cash Group of Companies, and Bam Petrol Station among others have sponsored different activities such as football and music entertainment.
Assy Abirebe, the city town clerk confirmed that the festival would include other activities like street vending among others.
He added: At a fee of Shs 50, 000, on Sunday we are going to allow traders to sell their products on the streets of Buremba, Mbaguta road, Bananuka drive. Again, we will allow vendors to have stalls at Independence Park to sell their goods during day and the night.”
According to Abirebe, the festival is intended to unlock business opportunities in Mbarara City and attract more investors.
According to Abirebe, Sunday will be the climax of the festival where different music artists will perform.
“We have about 35 artists to perform at Independence Park. We are using all this to showcase Mbarara City’s potential in terms of entertainment, hospitality, sports, and real estate so that people who are outside there with their money can come and invest here,” Abirebe explained.
The business symposium under the theme, “Promoting business and attracting investments in the new city” is slated for Friday afternoon and will be moderated by the senior presidential advisor on trade, Amelia Kyambadde, and businessman Patrick Bitature among others.
Some of the topics lined up for discussion are; marketing, banking, taxation and policies, feature of Mbarara, associations, and cooperatives among others.
The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among is expected to be the chief guest at the symposium.
https://thecooperator.news/preparations-for-mbarara-city-festival-underway/
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