By Our Reporter
A symbolic elephant monument has been unveiled in Gulu City in honour of the cultural significance of the creature to the Acholi people.
The monument, installed with funding from Uganda Breweries was unveiled by the Chief Justice of Uganda, Hon. Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo and His Highness Rwot David Acana II – the paramount chief of Acholi.
The monument will be the first unique feature residents and guests will see as they enter Gulu city and is located at Gulu – Ker Kwaro Acholi – Airfield Road.
“We are proud of our culture, traditions and heritage as Acholi people and the significance of this majestic creature to our culture and traditions cannot be overstated. It is a fitting sign of respect and reverence to a great people and a great city, and compliments the already beautiful nature of this place. I appreciate Uganda Breweries for this gesture,” Justice Owiny-Dollo said.
The elephant holds deep sentimental value to the Acholi – appearing at the centre of the cultural institution’s flag as a symbol of strength, supremacy and a peaceful nation.
Furthermore, the elephant being one of Uganda’s biggest tourist attractions makes the monument a necessary landmark and addition to the city’s beautiful attractions, reinforcing its position as a key tourist destination.
“We were honored to partner with Ker Kwaro Acholi to fund the installation of this monument which will be a unique identifier from which the people of Acholi can draw pride in their cultural heritage. The elephant also holds great significance to our business as the official logo of our beloved brand, Tusker, which celebrates 100 years of existence this year,” said Alfred Balikagira, Supply Chain Director, Uganda Breweries.
“Northern Uganda has been a critical element in the growth and prosperity of UBL through the years, and being a part of this historic occasion is one of the many ways through which we are expressing our gratitude to the people and the region. The farmers from this region are an important part of our value chain supplying the local raw materials used to produce our brands,” Alfred added.
Under its Local Raw Materials (LRM) program, in the financial year ended June 2020, Uganda Breweries purchased over UGX 10 billion worth of sorghum, barley, cassava and maize from over 7,000 farmers spread out across Northern Uganda – which collectively made up over 30% of the inputs used in the brewery’s production processes, in turn improving the livelihoods of thousands of households across the region.