Fort Portal City Officials Receive Marathon Kits Ahead of Tourism Marathon
As excitement continues to build ahead of the Fort Portal Tourism City Marathon scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026, City officials have received their official marathon kits, reaffirming their commitment to promoting tourism, healthy living, and community development.
The City Health Officer (CHO), Dr. Mugisa Emmanuel, City Senior Tourism Officer, Ms. Deborah Baguma, and Senior IT Officer, Mr. Kazooba Joseph, received their marathon kits as they joined hundreds of participants preparing for the flagship event.
Receiving the kits symbolizes the officials' support for an initiative that has grown into one of Fort Portal City's premier tourism and community engagement events. Their participation reflects the City's commitment to championing wellness, active lifestyles, environmental conservation, and the promotion of Fort Portal as Uganda's leading tourism destination.
Speaking ahead of the marathon, the officials encouraged residents, institutions, and visitors from across the country to participate in the event, noting that beyond fitness, the marathon plays a significant role in boosting local businesses, creating opportunities for the hospitality sector, and showcasing the city's unique tourism attractions.
Fort Portal Marathon Ignites Tourism and Community Spirit
This afternoon, the dedicated team behind the Fort Portal Tourism City Marathon paid a courtesy visit to His Worship, Mayor Rev. Kintu Willy Muhanga, delivering marathon kits in anticipation of the much-anticipated event scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026.
Ester Komuntale, the Public Relations and Engagement Officer, emphasized that the marathon aims to promote Fort Portal City as a premier tourism destination while boosting local economic ventures. "Our goal is to showcase the beauty and potential of Fort Portal, attracting both local and international visitors," she stated.
Mr. Kusemererwa Peter, the City Principal Assistant Town Clerk, highlighted the significant economic impact of marathons. "These events contribute to increased local revenue as visitors flock to our hotels and lodges for accommodation and meals," he explained.
The marathon not only enhances the city’s profile but also immerses participants in its rich tourism attractions, showcasing Fort Portal on both national and global stages.
In the previous marathon, Fort Portal City collaborated with @DataCitiesUg to gather insights that revealed a marked improvement in local revenue and an increase in visitor numbers.
This data underscores the event's potential to transform the local economy.
As part of the marathon festivities, the Fort Portal Marathon leadership, in partnership with the Joe Walker Foundation, plans to enhance community safety by painting zebra crossings in key areas, including the Mpanga Gardens Restaurant vicinity, Bukwali Primary School, and around the Bank of Uganda.
Mayor Rev. Kintu Willy Muhanga stressed the importance of visibility, noting the need for signposts around these crossings to ensure pedestrian safety.
Scheduled for Friday, this initiative aims to raise awareness about road safety and the alarming rates of road carnage in Uganda.
By combining community engagement with tourism promotion, the Fort Portal Marathon is set to make a lasting impact on both the local economy and public safety.
As the countdown to the marathon begins, excitement builds within the community, promising a vibrant celebration of sport, tourism, and unity in Fort Portal City.
We invite everyone to embrace the spirit of the marathon! Register and participate to not only challenge yourself but also to promote and develop our beloved city. Together, let’s make Fort Portal a shining example of community strength and tourism potential!
Fort Portal Tourism City has taken another major step in digital transformation with the successful onboarding of the Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS). This Government of Uganda initiative is set to modernize how the City creates, manages, stores, and retrieves official documents. @mopsuganda #FortPortalCity
Outgoing Fort Portal Town Clerk Praised for Resolving Conflict and Doubling Local Revenue.
The outgoing Fort Portal Tourism City Town Clerk, Mr. Ocen Ambrose, has left behind a historical legacy of conflict resolution and financial growth, Deputy Mayor Hon. Margaret Kabajwara has observed.
Representing the City Mayor at the official handover ceremony to the incoming Town Clerk Madam Akello Regina at the RCC's Boardroom, Hon. Kabajwara revealed that Mr. Ocen assumed office when Fort Portal was battling severe administrative friction. However, through his wisdom and professionalism, he successfully intervened and restored harmony to the city leadership.
The Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Madam Nasike Asumin, noted that while it is disheartening to witness handovers prompted by interdictions, Mr. Ocen’s departure is a celebratory milestone because he is leaving on promotion.
She highly commended him for his swift administrative actions, particularly in recruiting key human resources. This strategic staffing directly resulted in a massive surge in local revenue, which doubled from 2 billion to 4.1 billion shillings.
In his final handover report, Mr. Ocen urged his successor, Madam Akello Regina, to prioritize and support staff career growth and development. He also challenged the city technical team to remain focused and deeply committed to improving service delivery for the local population.
Upon receiving the instruments of power, Madam Akello expressed her gratitude to Mr. Ocen for his exemplary leadership, steadfast guidance, and dedication to mentoring staff.
She called for collectiveness ,responsibility and professionalism in execution of duties to build a city to a Model and sustainable enjoyed by everyone.
Mr. Ocen Ambrose joins Muni University as University Secretary.
PDM Boosts Household Incomes in Fort Portal City as Officials Plan New Agricultural Zones
1/ The Fort Portal City Production Team, the City Executive Committee, and Security officials, led by Deputy RCC for North Division Henry Kitambula, conducted a monitoring exercise to assess the performance of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and document success stories from beneficiaries.
#FortPortalTourismCity #ParishDevelopmentModel
Handle Power With Care: Outgoing Fort Portal City Town Clerk Ambrose Ocen Urges Staff in Emotional Farewell
In an emotional and counsel-filled early farewell meeting, the outgoing Fort Portal City Town Clerk, Mr. Ambrose Ocen, has urged civil servants to exercise humility and handle authority with absolute care.
Addressing heads of departments and section heads on Wednesday morning at Musisa Hall, Mr. Ocen shared profound leadership insights as he prepared to exit local government for a high-profile appointment at Muni University.
Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of administrative offices, Mr. Ocen warned his team against the pitfalls of toxic workplace rivalry and arrogance.
"This world is full of complexities," Mr. Ocen cautioned. "Never feel threatened by subordinates or colleagues who seek promotions or new opportunities. Instead, support them and offer guidance. I advise you never to mistreat people. Go slow. True leadership is about bringing happiness to people, not causing agony."
He further encouraged public servants to aggressively pursue professional growth despite workplace pressures. "We all understand the administrative stress we go through, but when an opportunity knocks, take it and apply for any available job."
The news of Mr. Ocen’s departure has left a wave of sorrow across the city's department blocks, with many technocrats describing his exit as a major blow to the harmony of the institution.
Mr. Patrick Muhenda, the City Production Officer—who also serves as the Tooro Kingdom State Minister for Agricultur highly commended the outgoing accounting officer's steering hand.
"I am incredibly proud of your exemplary leadership and guidance," Mr. Muhenda noted. "In the short time I have worked with you, you have proven to be a true parent and a guide to your staff. I am happy that under your mentorship, I have grown to confidently defend my professional position."
The City Planner Mr.Businge Richard praised Mr. Ocen’s visionary outlook and his rare ability to resolve complex structural conflicts with utmost honesty and calmness.
Similarly, the City Education Officer, Mr. John Bosco, lauded Ocen's unique, human-centric approach to office administration.
"Mr. Ocen has been a parental figure who intentionally fostered peace and harmony among the staff. He had a unique gift for engaging workers individually to resolve issues at a personal level. We will deeply miss his support, but we wish him the absolute best in his next chapter," Mr. Bosco expressed.
Mr. Karamagi the City Finance officer said, " Mr.Ocen bought harmony and unity in Fort Portal City. There were several conflicts but resolved among staff and leadership but intervened and resolved them. He's a proactive leaders who secured funding for the completion of the city Council building. Thanks for the good leadership bwaana TC".
Mr. Ocen exits the local government structure with an unblemished legacy of administrative diplomacy to take up a lucrative, senior administrative role at Muni University in Arua.
#fortportaltourismcity #FortPortalCity#TownClerkOcenAmbrose##GoodLeadership
JUST IN: Unconfirmed sources indicate that Former Speaker of Parliament and Bukedea Woman MP @AnitahAmong could be arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court this afternoon.
Courtesy photo.
#NBSUpdates
@Cecilia97N I always tell ma boys not to go into mikolo things when gal Dem has not given you a baby. They call me bad hearted. Bro mukabissa kajanja temunaba
UBOS On w Nationwide Initiative to Empower Local Governments and CSOs with Data Access
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has launched a countrywide training mission to equip local government officials and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with the skills needed to access and utilize official data for research, planning, and development.
The initiative was unveiled on Friday afternoon in Fort Portal City Musisa Hall, bringing together department heads, sections, and CSO leaders. The engagement focused on teaching stakeholders how to navigate the UBOS website and data portals to leverage official statistics for evidence-based planning, advocacy, and public service delivery.
Speaking to the city officials UBOS Communications and Public Relations Manager, Mr. Joshua Mubulire, explained that the training aims to bridge the information gap. He noted that the bureau frequently receives direct inquiries from CSOs and local governments, despite the requested data already being analyzed and published online."We are equipping government actors and CSOs with the knowledge to independently access reliable information and statistics," Mubulire said.
"All the data collected from population censuses, government programs, and socioeconomic surveys is uploaded to our website and social media platforms.
These established systems ensure the public can easily retrieve information for proposal writing, strategic planning, and reporting."Mubulire emphasized that accurate statistics are the cornerstone of public accountability and evidence-based national development.
Welcoming the initiative, Fort Portal City Community Development Officer, Annet Mutabazi, urged technical heads and civil society partners to actively use these data resources to enhance local interventions."Collaboration between government departments and civil society is crucial for identifying service gaps and designing targeted community programs," Mutabazi said. "Access to reliable data ensures that local leaders make informed decisions on vital issues like healthcare, education, livelihoods, and urban development."During the session, city authorities were trained on the importance of official statistics, the broader mandate of UBOS, and optimal methods for digital data retrieval.
UBOS officials also urged participants to use the data responsibly and to champion grassroots awareness during future national censuses and surveys.
As Uganda's central data agency, UBOS is mandated to collect, analyze, visualize, and disseminate national statistics. This ongoing countrywide campaign is part of a broader strategy to boost data literacy and strengthen collaboration between the central statistics bureau, urban authorities, and civil society nationwide.
#ubos #reliabledataservices#FortPortalCity#AccessInformation
Fort Portal City and Red Cross Launch Intensified Campaign to Prevent Ebola Outbreak
Fort Portal Tourism City, in partnership with the Uganda Red Cross Society, has rolled out intensified mobilization campaigns targeting local leaders as part of efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola in the region.
The initiative comes amid rising concern over the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in Uganda, which has so far claimed two lives with 20 cases reported and 14 recoveries.
Under the campaign, the Fort Portal City Health Department and the Red Cross have activated Ward Ebola Taskforces across the city. The teams are focused on equipping Local Council II Chairpersons, Town Agents, and Village Health Team (VHT) Coordinators with the knowledge and skills needed to detect, report, and prevent Ebola infections in their communities.
The training, held at the Nyabukara Youths Center, was organized by the Red Cross and facilitated by the Fort Portal City Health Team. Participants received sessions on the background of Ebola, case definitions, case identification, community search strategies, and proper reporting procedures.
Speaking at the training, Nabatanzi, the Assistant Resident City Commissioner of Fort Portal, challenged local leaders to take ownership of the campaign. She urged them to use their positions to sensitize residents, dispel misinformation, and ensure early reporting of suspected cases.
City officials say the mobilization of grassroots leaders is critical because they are closest to households and can act quickly to prevent transmission. By strengthening surveillance and community engagement at the ward and village level, Fort Portal aims to stay ahead of the outbreak and protect residents.
The partnership between the City Health Department and Red Cross is expected to continue with further trainings and community outreach as part of the broader national response to contain Ebola.