- MTN Uganda has supported Ker Alur Kingdom with UGX 20million towards the Kingdom’s coronation celebrations and is partnering with the kingdom to foster social cohesion among the people of Alur.
- MTN has also partnered with other cultural institutions namely, Busoga, Bunyoro, Tooro and Ker Kwaro (Acholi) to uplift the socio-economic and cultural wellbeing of their people.
MTN Uganda has offered Ker Alur Kingdom a sponsorship package worth UGX. 20m (Twenty million shillings) as the Kingdom prepares to celebrate the tenth coronation anniversary of His Majesty, the Ubimo of Alur, Phillip Olarker Rauni III.
In addition to supporting the coronation ceremony, MTN has also pledged to support the kingdom’s inter-clan cycling events in a bid to promote social cohesion in the West Nile kingdom that displayed potential in that sport during MTN Uganda’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
While visiting the Rwoth, Ubimo Phillip Olarker Rauni III at his Bugolobi palace in Kampala yesterday, the MTN Chief Executive Officer, Wim Vanhelleputte handed over the cheque to the kingdom officials to support the coronation celebrations that are set to take place in Zombo this Saturday 31st October 2020.
Speaking at the cheque handover, Vanhelleputte expressed MTN’s elation towards working with the people of Ker Alur.
“At MTN, we are focused on actively demonstrating what can be achieved if we work together to enable a shared value system. We firmly believe that we are good together because MTN only succeeds if the communities in which we operate succeed,” Vanhelleputte said.
The Ubimo expressed his heartfelt gratitude to MTN Uganda for being the first Telecom Company to partner with Ker Alur Kingdom. On behalf of the Kingdom, the Ubimo named the MTN CEO “Jalngidhu”, an Alur name that is literally translated as “The one who brings a lot of good luck”.
“We trust that this mutually beneficial relationship will bond very well with all native Alur who have continuously enjoyed the excellent MTN services nationally and internationally. As the King of Alur, I guarantee that my Prime Minister and his officials will ensure the set objectives of this partnership to benefit both the MTN brand and the brand-loyal people of Ker Alur,” said the Ubimo noting that Alur values holistically involve gender and all age groups in culture, development, sports, health and humanitarian activities.
Given the prevailing Covid19 pandemic, the Ubimo will be celebrating his tenth scientific coronation anniversary under the theme “Live healthy and always wear a mask correctly” in order to address the control of the lethal virus.
In addition to Ker Alur Kingdom, MTN Uganda has entered a two-year partnership with 4 other cultural institutions namely; Tooro, Bunyoro, Busoga and Ker Kwaro (Acholi). The partnerships seek to uplift the socio-cultural wellbeing of the subjects of the respective kingdoms. These partnerships are based on the premise that cultural institutions play a central role in fostering shared beliefs and a unity of purpose as well as facilitating their subject’s social wellbeing through community programs.
Alur people are an ethnic group who live mainly in the Nebbi, Zombo, and Arua districts in northwestern Uganda. The Alur kingdom has galvanized her position over the years as it is probably the only kingdom that was not affected by the Ugandan ban on traditional monarchies in 1966. This strong cultural heritage of the Alur Kingdom bestowed The Ubimo of Alur tribe, Rwoth Philip Olarker Rauni III as the ruler of the entire Alur tribe, with his capital at Kaal Atyak Winam, Zombo district after his grandfather, Rwoth Jobi II rested.
