Locals and tourists are flooding areas of Gulu Municipality and Pakwach town councils inpreparation for the yet to occur hybrid solar eclipse which is expected on November 3 meanwhile those from Gulu will be lucky and watch the eclipse from their homes. Hotel and tour operators say they were fully booked. Tourists can always enjoy tailor made packages that take you to Murchison Falls National park which is situated only one hour away from Gulu.

The Owiny Primary School in Pakwach has been facilitated well to host tourists who may be in the region to watch the eclipse. This school was cited as a vantage location for viewing the eclipse at 4:15pm. It has been refurbished with assist from tourism ministry so said that Nebbi district information officer Godfrey Odia.

They will also be opening up some roads to other tourist sites in the area, promote public sensitization by setting up a tourism information centre in Pakwach town.   But the whole exercise is aimed at improving status of town council so said the LC3 chairman of Pakwach town council, Benson Okumu.

Amidst all the excitement, people should ensure their safety and for this matter, the Gulu Resident District Commissioner James Kidega, also the chairman of the district security committee last week asked all the hotel owners, bars, and lodges not compromise the security so that they keep all people safe.

He said that security is a collective responsibility which is why different stakeholders must team up with security people to make sure that every one is safe to avoid any kind of attacks from terrorists. Meanwhile Uganda’s Tourism Minister Maria Mutagamba said there are over 30,000 foreign tourists especially scientists and academicians that are interested in viewing the eclipse from Uganda.