The business community in Moroto District is gearing up to cash in on the expected influx of visitors during the one-week Karamoja Cultural Festival.
Moroto will host the annual cultural festival from September 6 to 12, 2026, in an event expected to attract thousands of Ateker people from across Karamoja, Teso and Lango, as well as visitors from neighbouring countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan. This will be the second time Moroto is hosting the festival since its inception.
The festival is intended to promote peaceful coexistence, tourism, unity and cultural heritage while creating opportunities for economic transformation among communities in the region. With thousands of visitors expected to converge on Moroto, businesses are already positioning themselves to benefit from the increased demand.
For street food vendors such as Alice Namugaya, the festival presents a rare opportunity to boost sales. Namugaya has already ordered five bags of Irish potatoes from Kapchorwa, which she plans to turn into chips during the event. She is confident the anticipated influx of people will translate into higher sales and bigger profits.
For local brewers, the festival is already generating orders even before the first cultural performances begin. Juliet Nachap, a brewer of kwete, a traditional fermented drink, said she has already received orders from customers travelling from Napak and Abim districts. Although she will not sell directly at the festival venue, Nachap plans to brew the drink from her home in Katanga, about a kilometre from the expected venue. Her customers, she said, have agreed to follow her there to collect their orders.
The transport sector is also preparing for what operators expect to be an unusually busy week. Denis Okello, a taxi operator plying the Moroto-Nakapiripirit route, said public transport operators are already considering how to meet the anticipated demand, particularly on routes connecting Moroto to neighbouring districts.
“I know the routes like Moroto-Kotido, Kaabong, Karenga and Abim have only two taxis that take passengers up to Kotido before connecting to those districts, and then Moroto-Nakapiripirit, Amudat and Nabilatuk also have only two cars, but in that period we shall see how to cover the gaps,” Okello said.
The festival is also creating a market for traditional clothing and accessories. During the cultural event, men will be required to wear a shirt or vest, without trousers, but with a boxer and a bedsheet wrapped around the waist. They will also wear open shoes locally known as “lugabire”, traditionally made from discarded car tyres.
Women will wear tops or vests with skirts made from Maasai bedsheets, complemented by beadwork worn around the waist, arms, neck and forehead. A Maasai bedsheet costs about 25,000 Shillings, while locally crafted shoes start at 20,000 Shillings, depending on size. Beaded jewellery ranges from 25,000 to 250,000 Shillings.
For traders dealing in traditional attire, the festival has already translated into increased sales. Mary Nakiru, a seller of Maasai bedsheets who also makes handmade Karamojong skirts and other traditional outfits, said demand has risen sharply.
“A day I can sell up to 50 sheets, and more than 10 orders for locally made skirts,” Nakiru said. She explained that making a complete skirt for a woman requires two Maasai bedsheets, each costing 25,000 Shillings, in addition to 10,000 Shillings for her labour.
Nakiru said many of her customers are not Karamojong but people from other communities who want to participate in the cultural celebrations. She explained that many Karamojong natives can purchase the bedsheets and make the skirts themselves because they already possess the necessary skills.
The hospitality industry is equally anticipating a windfall from the cultural week. Moroto has more than 20 hotels, lodges and guesthouses, with most charging at least 40,000 Shillings per night. However, some establishments have already adjusted their rates in anticipation of increased demand.
Waga Bar and Lodge, for example, has increased its accommodation charges from between 40,000 and 50,000 Shillings to 100,000 Shillings per night during the festival. Noah Kyewalyanga, the manager of Waga Bar and Lodge, said the adjustment is partly due to renovations undertaken at the facility.
At Strikers Hotel Moroto, management says preparations have focused on ensuring guests receive quality accommodation, food and entertainment throughout the festival.
Francis Edep, the hotel manager, said they have restocked drinks and food items in preparation for the expected increase in demand. Unlike some establishments that have increased their prices, Edep said Strikers Hotel will maintain its normal rates. The hotel has also installed CCTV cameras to strengthen security and protect its clients.
At City Friends Hotel, management says the demand for accommodation has already surpassed expectations, with most rooms reserved ahead of the festival. Josam Elwalu, a manager at the hotel, said the facility may only be able to accommodate guests who made reservations.
As businesses prepare to benefit from the festival, security authorities say they are equally prepared to manage the large crowds expected in Moroto.
Edirisa Kyeyune, the Mt Moroto Regional Police Commander, said police have already drawn up a deployment plan to secure the event and ensure it proceeds without disruption. Kyeyune encouraged members of the public to attend the festival in large numbers and celebrate their cultural heritage without fear-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
