Soroti is flying…
Apr 15, 2011
SUNNY, flat and rocky describes Soroti district best. The town is one of the biggest in eastern Uganda.
By Titus Kakembo
SUNNY, flat and rocky describes Soroti district best. The town is one of the biggest in eastern Uganda.
According to the folklore, the name comes from Solot rock. This name was allegedly changed by the agents of the Buganda colonial government into Soroti.
This claim is contested by Denis Asiimwe, a history scholar on Arab influence in Uganda. He says Soroti comes from an Arab word Swaharat - meaning rock.
Besides the legendary rock, Soroti town skies are punctuated by birds, 172 Cessna planes and 310 aeroplanes. The drone of their engines is the trademark of the town.
Most of the economic activity here revolves around the flying school. Half of the residential houses accommodate its staff.
“Capt. David Enabu, who was the first African pilot to fly the pope was trained here,†boasts Cecilia Akello, a resident in the area.
Go to Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda or Burundi and you will get pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers trained from Soroti Flying School.
David Oay, a property agent, says: “Gone are the days when the popular schools were St. Ann’s Madera Boarding School and Kidetok Girls. Parents and students now have a variety of private schools to pick from.â€
Foodstuffs are brought to the market from Gweri, Omodoi and fish from Lake Kyoga is in plenty. Fresh vegetables, spices and bananas are ferried in by traders from Mbale.
Auction markets (Okisoni )are booming and held every week all over the district. Buyers and sellers storm the markets to buy and sell animals, cereals like millet, second-hand clothes and other commodities like bicycles. One of the biggest auction markets in Soroti is Ocorimongin.
The dominant tribes here are the Iteso and Kumam. The Iteso are believed to have their roots in the Horn of Africa while the Kumam broke away from the Langi.
Besides Ateso and Kumam, other commonly used languages are English and Kiswahili. Luganda is a common language in the markets and taxi park.
The impact of the construction fray is evident in the town. Slums like Nakatunya, Camp Swahili, Kengere, Moru Apesur, Kichinjagi and Pamba have been reclaimed by the expanding town. The prison gardens on Moroto Road and Lale Road are sprawling with new houses.
General utilities like water and electricity are being distributed ameacably.
A 50ftX50ft plot of land in Soroti costs between sh5m and sh8m. The same size of land in the town outskirts goes for sh3m.
The average rent rate for a two-bedroom house is between sh200,000 and sh400,000.
The night life in the region district is admirable. Revellers love to storm Jumabhai Road or Market Street where pubs and restaurants are making profits and expanding.
Roadside vendors have taken advantage of the growing population and development to make a quick buck.
They fry and sell food items like fish and chips on prominent street corners. Those with the big money hangout in Soroti Hotel or Flying View Hotel.
Those who want to relax by engaging in a sport can play tennis and squash at the Pioneer School Courts and the Golf Club on Lira Road.
Pool is another sport that is fast gaining popularity.
Café Amigos is the place to be for coffee, tea and cookie lovers. Aipany (Trends) Discotheque is a crowd puller of the youth.
Local music called Akembe and Akogo are the norm in Teso land. However, dancehall music, hiphop and Rnb music are building a great audience in Teso.
Keko, the new hiphop sensation in the country is evidence to the growing trend.
In an Iteso home, there is a newly born children are named uniquely.
Some mothers choose to name the babies depending on the circumstance or the prevailing weather when the child is born.
“A child is accepted after performing a ritual known as etale in the home,†says a guide at the Uganda museum. “This is restricted to the members of the clan. The roads to the home are lined with thorns to prevent none members from attending. The occasion involves a lot of eating, dancing and drinking ajon (millet beer).â€
SUNNY, flat and rocky describes Soroti district best. The town is one of the biggest in eastern Uganda.
According to the folklore, the name comes from Solot rock. This name was allegedly changed by the agents of the Buganda colonial government into Soroti.
This claim is contested by Denis Asiimwe, a history scholar on Arab influence in Uganda. He says Soroti comes from an Arab word Swaharat - meaning rock.
Besides the legendary rock, Soroti town skies are punctuated by birds, 172 Cessna planes and 310 aeroplanes. The drone of their engines is the trademark of the town.
Most of the economic activity here revolves around the flying school. Half of the residential houses accommodate its staff.
“Capt. David Enabu, who was the first African pilot to fly the pope was trained here,†boasts Cecilia Akello, a resident in the area.
Go to Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda or Burundi and you will get pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers trained from Soroti Flying School.
David Oay, a property agent, says: “Gone are the days when the popular schools were St. Ann’s Madera Boarding School and Kidetok Girls. Parents and students now have a variety of private schools to pick from.â€
Foodstuffs are brought to the market from Gweri, Omodoi and fish from Lake Kyoga is in plenty. Fresh vegetables, spices and bananas are ferried in by traders from Mbale.
Auction markets (Okisoni )are booming and held every week all over the district. Buyers and sellers storm the markets to buy and sell animals, cereals like millet, second-hand clothes and other commodities like bicycles. One of the biggest auction markets in Soroti is Ocorimongin.
The dominant tribes here are the Iteso and Kumam. The Iteso are believed to have their roots in the Horn of Africa while the Kumam broke away from the Langi.
Besides Ateso and Kumam, other commonly used languages are English and Kiswahili. Luganda is a common language in the markets and taxi park.
The impact of the construction fray is evident in the town. Slums like Nakatunya, Camp Swahili, Kengere, Moru Apesur, Kichinjagi and Pamba have been reclaimed by the expanding town. The prison gardens on Moroto Road and Lale Road are sprawling with new houses.
General utilities like water and electricity are being distributed ameacably.
A 50ftX50ft plot of land in Soroti costs between sh5m and sh8m. The same size of land in the town outskirts goes for sh3m.
The average rent rate for a two-bedroom house is between sh200,000 and sh400,000.
The night life in the region district is admirable. Revellers love to storm Jumabhai Road or Market Street where pubs and restaurants are making profits and expanding.
Roadside vendors have taken advantage of the growing population and development to make a quick buck.
They fry and sell food items like fish and chips on prominent street corners. Those with the big money hangout in Soroti Hotel or Flying View Hotel.
Those who want to relax by engaging in a sport can play tennis and squash at the Pioneer School Courts and the Golf Club on Lira Road.
Pool is another sport that is fast gaining popularity.
Café Amigos is the place to be for coffee, tea and cookie lovers. Aipany (Trends) Discotheque is a crowd puller of the youth.
Local music called Akembe and Akogo are the norm in Teso land. However, dancehall music, hiphop and Rnb music are building a great audience in Teso.
Keko, the new hiphop sensation in the country is evidence to the growing trend.
In an Iteso home, there is a newly born children are named uniquely.
Some mothers choose to name the babies depending on the circumstance or the prevailing weather when the child is born.
“A child is accepted after performing a ritual known as etale in the home,†says a guide at the Uganda museum. “This is restricted to the members of the clan. The roads to the home are lined with thorns to prevent none members from attending. The occasion involves a lot of eating, dancing and drinking ajon (millet beer).â€