MBARARA, March 5, 2024 – Authorities in Mbarara City in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda are engaged in the preparation of the second edition of Mbarara City Festival, the inaugural one having been held in February last year.
The 2024 event is expected to take place from June 21-22, with more businessmen, traders, and corporate companies expressing interest in participating. It will be celebrated under the theme “Celebrating Mbarara City as Regional Trade and Hospitality Hub”.
The corporate companies behind this event include; Kazire Health Products Limited, Food Mart, Nile Breweries, Crown Beverages Limited, Vybz Lounge, Las Vegas Hotel, and Uganda Registration Services Bureau [URSB] among others.
During the launch of this year’s festival days ago at Las Vegas Hotel, city mayor Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi said just like last year, this year’s event is meant to celebrate the successes since Mbarara became a city on July 1, 2020.
“This is not just a gathering, it is an investment to mark the growth and resilience of Mbarara City as a thriving hub of regional trade and a paradox of hospitality” he said, adding that Mbarara City has history of trade and commerce with a diversity of businesses to support its economic growth.
Kakyebezi urged the organisers of the festival to involve people in the neighbouring districts and countries of Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo for a broader celebration.
“We should not look at ourselves alone, let us sell this event to the neighbouring districts and countries like Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo because Mbarara is a regional centre of commerce,” he said.
Assy Abirebe Tumwesigire, Mbarara City Town Clerk explained that this year’s festival will unlock shared achievements in the city’s infrastructure, hospitality, industrial development, and real estate among others.
He added that, “This festival is an opportunity to showcase our local businesses such as chapati making, chips, meat roasting among others.”
He said festival is not just a celebration but an economic stimulant for local businesses to have a lasting impact on the local economy, adding that it could attract about 15,000 people, but also with a potential to generate about Shs 300 million annually.
On her part, Shallon Natukunda, representative of Mbarara City Women Entrepreneurs League, appealed to businesswomen in the city to come and showcase their products.
For his part, Seith Mwijuka, Chairman Mbarara City Traders Association [MBACITA] challenged the city leaders to invest more in the infrastructure development to attract more investors.
“A city does not grow in isolation. It must attract other people from outside to come and do investments, which leads to tax revenue enhancement and infrastructure development as well,” said Mwijuka.
Sharin Atuhaire, a representative of URSB implored the business community in Mbarara City to formalise their businesses.
“I have heard people talking about businesses, investors but you cannot talk about all these without formalising your businesses. So as a registration body, we appeal to the public to register their businesses so that they can fully compete,” she said, adding that serious investors only deal with the established companies.
According to the organising committee, this year’s Mbarara City Festival celebrations will be hosted at Mbarara Independence Grounds. Activities will include street expos, exhibitions, medical camps, blood donation, cultural shows, music, dance & drama among others.
https://thecooperator.news/preparations-for-mbarara-city-festival-underway/
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