Abeibuti Village, Akokoro Sub-County, Apac District — Excitement is building in Akokoro, the ancestral home of Uganda's former President Dr. Apollo Milton Obote, as clearing and site preparation works for the third edition of the TWENDE Zetu Butiama Pilgrimage have commenced at full speed.
A team from Afrika Mashariki Fest, led by its CEO Dr. Ronex Tendo Kisembo, visited the burial site in Abeibuti Village on a final inspection tour ahead of the highly anticipated pilgrimage, which will officially commence with a flag-off ceremony at Nkrumah Hall, University of Dar es Salaam.
Speaking at the site, Dr. Kisembo expressed satisfaction with the progress of preparations.
"We are here in Akokoro, the ancestral home of our former president Dr. Apollo Milton Obote. This is Akokoro city. We are here for a final check of the place as we advance towards the third edition of the TWENDE Zetu Butiama Pilgrimage Safari," he said.
TWENDE Zetu Butiama is an initiative that began in 2024 with the aim of paying tribute to Africa's fallen founding fathers. Dr. Kisembo revealed that upon briefing President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni about the initiative, the President single-handedly funded it, starting with tributes to Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
"We want to salute the efforts of his comrades like Dr. Obote and Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, who accepted to join hands immediately after attaining independence, and we see that in 1967, the EAC was formed," Kisembo added.
The pilgrimage will officially commence with a flag-off ceremony at Nkrumah Hall, University of Dar es Salaam. Pilgrims will then proceed to the EAC Secretariat in Arusha, onward to Kenyatta University in Nairobi, and Makerere University in Kampala.
Key Dates on the Pilgrimage Calendar
· October 7-8: Pilgrims gather at Dr. Obote's ancestral home in Akokoro
· October 9: Uganda's Independence Anniversary celebrations at Kololo
· October 10: Departure for Butiama with a stopover at Serengeti National Park
· October 14: Nyerere Day—solemn tribute to Mwalimu Julius Nyerere at Butiama
· October 15-16: Honoring Mzee Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in Bondo, Siaya County
· October 17: Visit to Kenya's National Assembly to pay homage to Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, followed by a visit to his Gatundu home
· October 20: The journey culminates with Mashujaa Day celebrations in Eldoret
Dr. Kisembo announced that a special prayer and dialogue will be held at Akokoro on October 7, 2026, with all Lango bishops and religious leaders invited to preside over the ceremony.
"We are preparing for the arrival of the pilgrimage on the evening of October 6, 2026, and we have a special prayer on October 7 and a dialogue. We have invited all the leaders—bishops and religious leaders in Lango—who will preside over the prayer, cultural, and central government leaders to come and join us in the mass and dialogue on the East African Community."
The dialogue will focus on assessing progress made in the 25 years since the revival of the EAC, identifying challenges, and charting the way forward.
Organizers expect more than 10,000 attendees at the special service, with guest speakers drawn from 12 African countries including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania.
Notably, the guest speakers are predominantly Generation Z, with a focus on young people sharing their perspectives on what is slowing down the momentum of East African integration and united Africa.
"We had the privilege to host PLO Lumumba, Prof. Maponga, and Dr. Atiko Chombore who talked to us in the past, but this time we need youth to tell us what they think is slowing down the momentum of EA integration and united Africa," Kisembo said, emphasizing that the initiative is non-political.
Jimmy James Akena Obote, son of the late Dr. Obote, expressed gratitude to Afrika Mashariki Fest for the initiative.
"Dr. Tendo told me what he wants to bring to the young people to honor the legacy of my father, and I am glad to receive them," Akena said.
He shared the significance of his father's burial site: "This is the resting place for my father, who is buried next to his grandfather. He asked to be buried next to his grandfather because he was inspired by my grandfather to have a vision to struggle for independence. So throughout his life, he wanted to be laid next to his grandfather, and that is what we have done."
Akena reflected on the legacy of Africa's founding fathers: "What I learned from my late father, Mwalimu Nyerere, and Kaunda of Zambia is that they were very humble and their office didn't change their character. Our founding fathers' big task was to liberate Africa, and that largely has been completed. But now, how do we get economic, spiritual, and cultural-linguistic independence of Africa?"
He added that promoting Kiswahili and economic liberation are key to being proud of African roots.
"I hope to host young people and share some of those stories, hopes, and aspirations that can encourage the next generation," Akena said. "It's important to know where some of the leaders came from. If you find them, they came from a humble place. It's touching base to inspire people that these leaders didn't come from somewhere else but from the people."
