By Alex Baite
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has unveiled the Kampala City Festival 2025.
The festival, scheduled for October 5th, 2025, at Kololo Ceremonial grounds, will showcase the city’s culture, innovation, and sustainability while boosting its economic and tourism prospects.
During the launch on Wednesday, August 6, at the KCCA headquarters, Sharifah Buzeeki, the Executive Director of KCCA, said the festival is a long-awaited homecoming for citizens after years of post-pandemic recovery. Eight years later, it is set to return with aplomb after its last edition in 2017, when the festival was suspended following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Buzeki describes the festival as a tool for uniting Kampala’s diverse communities. She described it as” a moment to reconnect, uplift communal spirit, and highlight the resilience and creativity of the people. “The festival, a one-day event, will feature citywide activities including cultural performances, innovation expos, environmental clean-ups, food fairs, and a grand finale at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. “It will begin with a three-hour procession through the city with all cultures, culminating at Kololo,” she said.
Buzeki noted that the festival reflects the city’s determination to recover and thrive after the COVID-19 pandemic. She positioned the event as a symbolic return to togetherness and celebration, anchored in the strength and optimism of Kampala’s communities.
She explained that the festival is designed to promote inclusive participation, providing platforms for youth, women, entrepreneurs, and creatives to showcase their work and engage with the public. It is intended to be more than a celebration, serving instead as a hub for opportunity, visibility, and empowerment.
KCCA also intends for the festival to leave a lasting, positive footprint on the city. The event, KCCA indicated, will include initiatives such as clean-up drives, green projects, and health outreach activities, contributing to the city’s long-term vision of inclusivity, liveability, and sustainability.
Buzeki also pointed to Kampala’s central role in Uganda’s economy and its potential as a tourism hub. She encouraged both public and private stakeholders to support the festival as a strategic investment in the city’s image, growth, and international appeal.
State Minister for Kampala Metropolitan Affairs, Kyofatogabye Kabuye, commended the festival as a timely opportunity to foster unity and pride amongst Kampala’s residents.
He made a clear distinction between a festival and a carnival, noting that this event is meant to uplift, not entertain superficially, and that it embodies cultural celebration and community power.
Kyofatogabye also connected the festival to national goals, linking it to Uganda’s broader development agenda. He highlighted Kampala’s key position within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA), noting that the event aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 11, which promotes inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.
Sheilah Birungi, the Chairperson of the organising committee and Director of Gender, Community Services, and Production at KCCA, reiterated the festival’s focus on culture, innovation, and sustainability. She explained how the programming aligns with global development goals and outlined pre-event activities such as tree planting, agricultural exhibitions, and health camps.
She also emphasised the organisers’ commitment to transparency, noting that sponsorship funds are being managed through a dedicated account and tracked via a QR code system.
Juliana Kaggwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), described the festival as a milestone for Uganda’s tourism industry. She pointed out its strategic importance in helping the country reach its goal of increasing tourism’s GDP contribution from 3.6% to 10% by 2040. The partnership between KCCA and the tourism sector, she added, will be vital in promoting Uganda’s rich cultural and natural assets.
Representing Buganda Kingdom Premier Charles Peter Mayiga, Robert Sserwanga Salongo, Minister for Sports, reflected on how Kampala is often viewed by those in rural areas as a place of opportunity and prosperity, likening a visit to the capital to going abroad. He noted that this kind of event generates happiness not only in the city but also throughout the country.
He acknowledged the festival as a symbolic gesture of national unity and emotional well-being. By dedicating a day to joy, engagement, and community celebration, he said the initiative provides a therapeutic space for residents and visitors alike. He invited all Ugandans to attend, participate, and take pride in the event as a true reflection of Kampala’s spirit.
The Kampala City Festival (KCF) began in 2012 as a celebration of Uganda’s 50th Independence Anniversary and later evolved into an annual event. Known as the biggest street party in East Africa.
Previously known as the City Carnival under the leadership of Jennifer Musisi, the former KCCA Director, it brought together Kampala residents, visitors, and Ugandans from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the city, its culture, and, at inception, Uganda’s Jubilee Independence anniversary.