Local traders in and around Soroti City have recorded massive sales of their various products during the 2024 Ateker festival that kicked off on Wednesday, November 27th, and was opened by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The event being hosted by the Iteso community at the Soroti Boma Grounds has come along with host business opportunities for the local traders.

Hotel and restaurant operators started recording huge sales early this week, and by Tuesday night, several hotels had been filled up. A hotel room that used to cost Shs30, 000 was being offered out at the cost of Shs50, 000.

At the Boma grounds themselves, local traders, mainly those dealing in food and beverages, arts, and other products, equally recorded massive sales when the festival opened on Wednesday.

Harriet Akiror, a bar operator, expressed excitement about Teso people hosting this year’s festival.

Despite being made to pay the organizers to be allocated a space to host her, Akiror said she doesn’t regret adding that she started rec

Boniface Oriokot, a restaurant operator, said despite a heavy downpour, he has equally recorded a big sales of his meals. Oriokot said on Wednesday alone, he roasted about five big goats.

Kenneth Ogwang, a local wine manufacturer, could not hide his smile after making huge sales of his products.

The festival has brought together various Ateker-speaking communities from Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania and is being celebrated in Uganda for the first time in history, attracting the patron of the Ateker people in Africa, H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn; ambassadors from Algeria, Libya, and Angola; cultural and religious leaders; and many other people.

The Ateker-speaking communities include the Nyangatomo of Ethiopia; Topotha, Bari, and Torit of South Sudan; Iteso, Turkana, and Masai of Kenya; Iteso, Karimojong, Jie, Dodoth, Kumam, Lango, and Kakwa of Uganda; and the Masai of Tanzania, plus other closely-knit groups spread across the greater East African region.

Several traditional leaders graced the festival that was marred with excitement arising from various traditional performances.

The leaders include David Onen Acana II of Acholi and Raphael Otaya, the Kumam Cultural Leader; Yosam Odur (Lango), the Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara; and Solomon Iguru I, the 27th Omukama, among others.