Globe Trotter from Arua City was crowned the overall winner of the second edition of the Gulu Independence Corporate Gala 2026.
The team clinched both the overall trophy and the Fun Games trophy, while Palabek Base Camp emerged as volleyball champions. In other categories, C-Care won the Best Branded Team accolade, while Bomah Hotel received the Fair Play award.
Speaking during the awarding ceremony held on Tuesday at Hotel Kakanyero, Dominic Ojok, Chief Executive Officer of Independence Corporate Gala, has called on participating teams to embrace unity, networking and collective responsibility to ensure the continued success of the annual event.
Ojok emphasised that the gala was not primarily about winning, but rather an opportunity to bring people together, strengthen professional relationships and promote social interaction among participating teams.
“The goal is not to win, but purposely to bring us together, network and socialise,” Ojok said, urging participants to look beyond competition and appreciate the wider purpose of the gathering.
He encouraged teams to begin engaging their superiors and managers early when preparations for next year’s gala commence, stressing the importance of timely financial contributions to support the organisers in delivering a successful event.
Ojok expressed concern over delays in payments, noting that some teams usually make their contributions on the last day, while others had yet to complete their payments.
He said such delays create difficulties for the organising committee in implementing its plans and delivering the event as envisioned.
“To the teams that have not yet cleared their payments, please let us take this seriously because it is our gala,” he appealed.
The CEO warned that failure to collectively support the initiative could threaten its continuity, potentially bringing back the challenges that had previously hindered the organisation of the event in Gulu.
He recalled that Gulu had gone nearly three to four years without a corporate gala, despite efforts by different individuals and groups to revive it, with some struggling to make it happen.
Ojok said the current initiative had provided an important opportunity to restore the tradition and bring together a growing number of participants, including teams from Palabek.
He also highlighted the participation of teams from Kitgum during the previous year's event as evidence of the gala's expanding reach.
He called on all participating teams to take ownership of the initiative, emphasising that its success should not rest solely on him or the technical committee, but on every team and individual involved.
“Let us take this as our event, not for me or the technical committee, but let us make it our own,” he said.
Ojok concluded by urging participants to work together, fulfil their commitments on time and protect the future of the gala, saying collective ownership and support would be essential to sustaining the event and strengthening relationships among corporate teams in Gulu and beyond.
This year’s Independence Corporate Gala attracted over nine teams, including Palabek Base Camp, Globe Trotter, NUMEC, Walk Creative Arts Foundation, UEDCL, Gulu Legal Team, Sir Samuel Baker Cohorts (2005–2008), Bomah Hotel Ltd., and C-Care Gulu.
