Emorimor Demands Workplace Safety and Regional Unity at Anniversary

Pomp, color, and vibrant cultural displays marked the fourth anniversary celebration of His Highness Emorimor Papa Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng as the supreme leader of the Iteso worldwide. The grand event, hosted at the Acunet Malaba Sports Ground in Busia County, Kenya, drew thousands of subjects from Uganda, Kenya, and the wider diaspora to commemorate four years since his enthronement.

Addressing the massive gathering, Emorimor delivered a passionate plea for labor rights, calling on African governments and corporate employers to guarantee safe working conditions and fair wages. He highlighted the hazards faced by laborers in sectors like mining, agriculture, and manufacturing across the continent.

“Our people across Africa are suffering at workplaces. They work in unsafe places with no helmets, no protective gear, poor pay, and long hours,” Emorimor stated, emphasizing that a safe worker is a productive worker. He also urged the Iteso community to look past geopolitical boundaries, declaring that artificial colonial borders cannot divide a shared heritage.

The international profile of the event was elevated by the presence of traditional leaders from across Africa, including representatives from Buganda, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Speaking on behalf of visiting monarchs, His Highness Peter Swilikei Kissa commended the Ugandan administration for supporting traditional governance.

Representing the Ugandan government, State Minister for Education and Sports Peter Ogwang stressed the critical role cultural leaders play in national socio-economic transformation. He asked traditional authorities to rally communities behind state initiatives like the Parish Development Model and Universal Primary Education, while raising concerns over school dropout rates.

Meanwhile, Busia Deputy County Governor Arthur Odera confirmed that the county government has allocated land in Amagoro for an official Iteso cultural center to promote heritage and youth development. Read more details of the anniversary celebration in the Daily Monitor.