Leaders in Nebbi Municipality have proposed the development of Nduru Hill, commonly referred to as Got Nebbi, into a tourist site.
The Deputy Mayor of Nebbi Municipal Council, Mr Howard Musa, said on Monday that the council had resolved to include Nduru Hill in its key infrastructure priority plan submitted to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for consideration.
‘Nduru Hill is our identity. Developing it will attract tourists, create jobs for our youth and protect our cultural heritage,’ Musa said.
He added that Nebbi Municipality wants to open access roads to the hill, install solar lights, construct perimeter fences, build public toilets and set up a cultural centre with a craft market for local artisans in the area.
The proposal was revealed during a meeting between Nebbi Municipal Council leaders and members of Nduru Hill Resource Development Association at Nduru Hill in Abindu Division, Nebbi Municipal Council.
The proposal comes as the municipality prepares to implement a bus and taxi park project under the five-year World Bank funded Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) project where Nebbi is among the 15 new municipalities added to the programme.
Nebbi has already secured Shs16.5b for a modern bus and taxi park.
Resolution
The Board Chairman of Nduru Hill Resource Development Association, Mr Ibrahim Harunah, said: ‘The site currently lacks amenities while some community members are also encroaching on the site’s land.’
He urged the Nebbi Municipal Council to speedily resolve the encumbrances to clear way for the tourism project.
The Tourism Officer of Nebbi Municipality, Mr Denis Okello, said historically, Nduru Hill derives its name from a king named Nduru, an ancestor to three clans namely Paminya, Pagei and Upanu from Nebbi Municipal Council.
‘As such, the three clans should be involved in the development plan,’ he said.
He added: ‘If Nduru Hill Rocks is well developed into a cultural site, it will be used as a cultural training centre that will house a conference hall, restaurant, accommodation facilities, festival ground, arts and craft shop and a museum.’
One of the community members living near Nduru Hill, Mr Albert Olum, welcomed the idea of fencing the four-acre Nduru Hill and turning it into a tourism site.
‘It will be a milestone to the community around the hill. That way, all the bad acts like evil rituals, rape and theft would greatly reduce, guaranteeing security of the place,’ Mr Olum said.
ABOUT NDURU HILL
From the peak, one can view the beautiful landscape of Nebbi Municipality. The hill has chair shaped stones that were used by the traditional chiefs.
It was used for both as an administrative hub and a screening point for Alur, who had been enslaved in the DR Congo by colonial masters and transported from Fort Emin Pasha in Wadelai, which is now in Pakwach District.
In 2023, wrangle erupted between religious leaders and cultural leaders over Nduru Hill on the outskirts of Nebbi Town.
The tension was due to religious leaders from Nebbi Catholic Diocese erecting a cross atop the hill, which angered a section of the elders, youth and cultural leaders.
They argued that the presence of the cross impedes their ability to carry out rituals and engage in leisure activities on the hills.
For instance, every Sunday, several youth climb the hill, set their music system and engage in dances until 7pm.