Tororo District is set to host a landmark cultural celebration as His Royal Highness Kwar Adhola Moses Stephen Owor marks a remarkable 100 years of life and service, with week-long commemorations culminating in a grand ceremony on Saturday, 28 February 2026.
The historic centenary event will take place at Elgon View Field in Tororo Municipality, where President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is expected to preside as Chief Guest, underscoring the national significance of the milestone for the Jopadhola community and Uganda at large.
Organised under the theme “Honouring a Century of Dedicated Service, Enduring Strength and Unwavering Community Spirit,” the celebrations have drawn widespread support from cultural institutions, public bodies, private organisations and well-wishers across Uganda and the diaspora.
In a message of appreciation, the Adhola Cultural Institution (TACI) expressed gratitude to all partners and supporters who contributed to preparations for the centennial festivities, praying for continued blessings upon the revered cultural leader and the nation.
Leaders of cultural institutions from across Uganda and neighbouring Kenya, alongside dignitaries and community members from Padhola and beyond, are expected to attend the grand ceremony in recognition of Kwar Adhola’s enduring legacy as custodian of Jopadhola heritage for more than a quarter of a century.
As part of the commemorative programme, the centenarian monarch is scheduled to attend a Thanksgiving Mass today, Thursday, 26 February, 2026 at St. Wilbrod Church, Nagongera Parish, his birthplace area, in a symbolic return to the roots of his life journey.
Additional activities surrounding the centenary include community medical outreach camps and sporting events planned in selected locations across Padhola following the main celebration, reflecting the cultural institution’s emphasis on service and community wellbeing.
Born on 25 February 1926 at Nagongera to the late Mzee Wilbrod Othieno and Norah Nyanganda, daughter of Chief Majanga, Moses Stephen Owor’s century-long life has spanned colonial rule, independence and modern Uganda.
Before ascending to the throne of the Jopadhola 26 years ago, he served Uganda in several distinguished capacities, including as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and later with the International Labour Organization. He also played an active role in church leadership among the laity in Kampala.
His centenary is therefore being celebrated not only as a personal milestone but as a tribute to a lifetime of public service, cultural stewardship and community leadership.
As Tororo prepares for the historic gathering, the celebrations are expected to stand as one of the most significant cultural events in eastern Uganda this year, honouring a century-long legacy that continues to shape the identity and unity of the Jopadhola people.
