Nebbi — A total of 26 cultural ministers and directors of the Alur Kingdom from the DR Congo and Uganda have been sworn in to help steer the kingdom to greater development. The officials were sworn in at Ringa Hotel on Saturday by the Nebbi district State Attorney, Vincent Abale.

The swearing-in came at the end of a court injunction placed by some ministers who were dropped by the king, Phillip Olarker Rauni III, for poor performance. The former Alur prime minister, Lawrence Opar Angala, had secured a court order last year to block the swearing-in of the new cabinet, saying he was unfairly dismissed.

A delegation from Congo was sworn in as ministers of state to work with their counterparts in Uganda. Olarker urged the new officials to work with the subjects to develop Alur.

"We should now strive to work together to develop the kingdom and the region at large through cooperating with various stakeholders like the local government and NGOs," Olarker noted. The king said his people lacked adequate food because of the drought that hit the area last year. He urged the chiefs to encourage the masses to grow more food.

"Chiefs, I encourage you to cooperate with your subjects to steer development in the kingdom, especially in the areas of education, health and agriculture as a means of fighting poverty in our homes," he said. The king asked parents to take their children to school to promote faster development in the kingdom.

"It is only through education that our kingdom can develop. Send your children to school," the king said. The Alur kingdom covers 31,500sqkm both in Uganda and the DRC, with its headquarters at Kal Atyak Winam in Zombo district.