By Mike Rwothomio

The Alur Cultural Festival has launched a landmark initiative to revive selected defunct water sources across Paidha Town Council and Paidha Sub-County in Zombo District.

The project, funded by proceeds from the recently concluded 11th edition of the festival held in Paidha Town Council, aims to improve reliable access to clean and safe water for local residents who have long endured the challenges of distant or non-functional sources.

This water extension effort directly fulfills an earlier public commitment by the festival’s leadership to use part of the proceeds to revive defunct or redundant spring and borehole water sources in some parts of the district.

Speaking during the official launch at the Omua Chiefdom Palace in Paidha on Saturday, October 3, 2026, Derick Passy, representing the CEO, disclosed that seven water sources have been targeted for rehabilitation, with work already completed on four of them.

Passy listed the targeted sources as those in Kaya Theyaw, Kpelekpethe in Cana Parish, Amisi in Cana Parish, Corner Malire Rukidi in Zingili Ward, Kololo Cell in Central Ward, Mvungu Lower Primary School, and Gwenu Madhi in Cora Mara Cell.

“We promised our people that the proceeds from this year’s production would go toward extending clean water sources to our communities here,” Passy said, adding that four of the water sources are already completed and residents are already using them.

Patrick Anecho, the Jadipu of Kal Omua Chiefdom in Paidha, commended the leadership of the Alur Cultural Festival for the gesture and pledged continuous support.

Ronie Rupiny of the Ker Alur Secretariat also praised the festival organizers for reaching the milestone so promptly after the event. He rallied for support toward Alur Cultural Festival events, citing their tremendous contribution to growth and development in the area.

According to official water data for Zombo District, the area currently maintains an overall water coverage rate of 87 percent, with a facility functionality rate of approximately 79 percent. While these figures represent progress over previous years, pockets of non-functional or abandoned sources persist, particularly affecting rural areas.

Many residents, especially women and children, continue to travel long distances or rely on unprotected streams shared with livestock, heightening risks of waterborne illnesses.

Collins Iwutung, the LCI Chairperson of Cora Mara Cell, welcomed the development, noting that it will significantly improve water access for a population of over 500 residents in the area alone.

An elderly mother from Cora Mara Cell expressed happiness, saying the water source will help solve the long-distance travels in search of clean water.

The 11th edition of the annual Alur Cultural Festival took centre stage on Sunday, August 30, 2026, under blazing sunshine in the bustling commercial hub of Paidha in Zombo District, West Nile sub-region.

This edition marked a historic first: the first time the festival had been staged in Zombo District since its launch in 2015.Thousands of Alur subjects streamed in from across Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the diaspora, joining local revelers, entertainers, cultural dance troupes, comedians, and journalists.

The expansive grounds along Solia Stream in Jupandika East Cell, Nyibola Ward, close to the DR Congo border, buzzed with energy from early morning.The theme, “Back to Our Roots,” resonated deeply.

Organizers framed the edition as a return to the cultural and geographic heartland of the Alur people, with an explicit community impact component: “Back to the roots, preserving our culture, giving life through clean water in our community.”

This dual focus on heritage preservation and practical development distinguished the 2026 event.

Chief Francis Omwon Denis Ringu Lango II of Kal Awora Chiefdom, CEO of the Alur Cultural Festival, earlier delivered the showstopper announcement that proceeds would fund clean water extension in the host communities, drawing delight from the crowd that had expected a purely commercial cultural event.

Next year’s edition has already been confirmed for Luo Grounds in Nebbi Municipality.

The Alur Cultural Festival has grown into one of West Nile’s premier cultural gatherings. Its core mission is to preserve, promote, and showcase the rich heritage of the Alur people, who span districts in Uganda including Nebbi, Zombo, and Pakwach, as well as chiefdoms in the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond.

Over eleven editions, attendance has expanded dramatically, from early gatherings of a few hundred to thousands, with recent events drawing over 8,000 participants from Kampala, greater Nebbi and Zombo areas, other parts of Uganda, and the DRC.

The festival features traditional dances such as Agwara and Ndara, live music, crafts exhibitions, indigenous foods, storytelling, and performances by both cultural troupes and contemporary artists.

It serves as a vital platform for younger generations, many of whom grow up in urban settings or under the influence of modern entertainment and social media, to reconnect with ancestral practices, instruments, songs, and values under pressure from globalization.

According to Ronnie Rupiny from Alur Kingdom , this step is a powerful demonstration that cultural celebration can drive tangible community development when well managed. The 2026 “Back to the Roots” edition in Paidha elevated this commitment by tying cultural proceeds directly to water infrastructure revival in the host community.

Another edition for Kampala is also scheduled for December this year.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at Zoomer Africa, your number one grassroot information hub for African news trends and updates.