Aruu Falls, a captivating tourist destination in Angagura Sub County, Pader district, has received sh800 million from the government to help with the development.
Martin Mugarra Bahinduuka, the state’s minister of tourism, announced the funding allocation and emphasized that it will help numerous infrastructure initiatives targeted at improving tourist experiences and increasing the destination’s tourism potential.
The allocated funds, expected to be operational in the following fiscal year, will be used to build the necessary infrastructure, including roads, guardrails, and walkways. These upgrades are essential to providing easy access, visitor protection, and general security at Aruu Falls.
The government’s commitment to supporting the tourism sector and maximizing the potential for domestic travel-related revenue is reflected in Minister Mugarra’s announcement.
Minister Mugarra addressed the issues brought up by Pader district officials over the state of Aruu Falls, recognizing its importance as a viable domestic tourism revenue source.
A group of tourists, singers, and travelers from Uganda visited Aruu Falls with the minister as part of the “Explore North” campaign.
He exhorted Ugandans to aggressively promote domestic travel by using a variety of media platforms to highlight their regional charms.
Minister Mugarra also emphasized the need to prioritize and promote local tourism by expressing worries about potential barriers to foreign visitor arrivals, such as new legislation regarding homosexuality.
Local leaders brought up the issue of insufficient funding impeding the support and growth of the tourism sector, including Councilor Dickson Ojok and Nancy Lawino, the Pader district secretary for finance and community-based services in charge of tourism.
Additionally, they underscored the dangers posed by Aruu Falls’ shaky paths and subpar lodging options, highlighting the necessity of funding the required upgrades.
The owner of Eden Camp Site, which is close to Aruu Falls, Samuel Odonga Otto, echoed the same view and urged the government to help expand the nation’s tourism infrastructure.
Minister Mugarra went on an excursion that included a stop at Fort Patiko in the Gulu area. Local community leader Rwot Collins Atiko of the Patiko Clan pleaded with the minister to encourage and support regional tourism by encouraging the development of better transportation and lodging options.
Due to a lack of funding, Aruu Falls and Fort Patiko have both experienced underdevelopment despite being known for their historical and cultural significance.
Influential individuals, including singer Jose Chameleone, kick-boxer Moses Golola, comedian Teacher Mpamire, and representatives from beauty pageants, committed to use their platforms to spread awareness and encourage domestic travel across the nation as part of the ongoing campaign.
The name Aruu Falls, which is 47 kilometers from Gulu City, comes from the Luo term “Aruu,” which means “woken up.” The falls, which have their source in Kabong’s Timu forest, go through the Agago district before settling in Pader district and falling down the angular slopes of Angagura.
Many tourists from abroad visit the Aruu Falls, especially those who are on Uganda safaris in the Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls national parks in the north. They get the chance to take in the wild landscape and its magnificent, chilly waters.
The area is significant culturally to the Acholi people, and also has a long political history—former President Idi Amin Dada frequently visited the falls to make political plans.
Samuel Baker built Fort Patiko, also known as Baker’s Fort, in Patiko, Uganda, and it was finished on December 25, 1872.
Following Baker’s departure, Emin Pasha and Charles Gordon lived at the fort while serving as the governors of the Equatorial Province, respectively.
As a somber reminder of Uganda’s past, the fort’s remnants can still be found today in Ajulu parish, Patiko sub-county, Aswa County, and the Gulu district.
