A Vibrant Return: Kampala City Festival 2025

After a multi-year hiatus, Kampala’s beloved city festival was back with fanfare, color, music, and a renewed sense of civic pride.

This year’s edition was held at Kololo Independence Grounds, under the theme “Culture, Innovation and Sustainability.”

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) described the event as “Our City. Our Celebration.” The festival was a mix of street procession, exhibition stalls, cultural performances, civic messaging, and evening entertainment.

Morning Procession & Opening Moments

The day began in grand fashion. A parade of floats, dancers, and themed exhibits started from Buganda Road, moving through Kyaggwe Road and Kampala Road before heading to Kololo. The procession was officially flagged off by the KCCA Executive Director, Sharifah Buzeki. 

As the march wove through the city center, many regular roads were shut down to vehicle traffic to accommodate participants and onlookers. The crowds lining the sidewalks cheered, clapped, and took photos, many dressed in vibrant traditional attire. 

At Kololo, the formal opening included prayers and remarks from dignitaries. Muslim, Christian, and Catholic prayer sessions were held in separate designated spaces Muslims at Kololo, and Christian/Catholic participants converging at Hotel Africana. 

Exhibits, Food, Culture & Civic Engagement

One of the festival’s key pillars was to bring citizens, businesses, and creatives together. Over 500 exhibitors set up stalls at Kololo, showcasing everything from handicrafts, art, technology innovations, eco-products, to food and drink. Vendors offered Ugandan cuisine, fashion, sustainable goods, and creative arts that reflected the rich tapestry of city life.

In keeping with the sustainability theme, tree seedlings (such as mango, avocado, jackfruit) were distributed to children as a symbolic gesture toward greener Kampala.

Cultural performances staged throughout the day included traditional dance groups, spoken word, drumming, and contemporary music. Students were well represented and joined in with energy and enthusiasm. Later in the evening, bigger musical acts and entertainment took over the stage. 

Despite a brief afternoon downpour, the festival continued seamlessly. Organizers and attendees took it in stridemany interpreting it as a blessing.

The celebrations carried on into the night, culminating in fireworks displays that lit up the Kampala skyline.

Notable Attendees & Speeches

The event drew high-profile guests and government leaders. Among them:

• Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja used her speech to promise pothole-free roads in Kampala, citing ongoing road works and government directives to improve road infrastructure.
• She also announced that the proportion of tarmacked roads in the city is slated to rise from 35 % to 87 %, while garbage collection targets will increase from 55 tonnes to 185 tonnes.
• The President had directed work on several key arteries, including Jinja Road, the city centre stretch, and roads in peripheral areas like Nateete and Busega.
• Sharifah Buzeki, KCCA’s Executive Director, thanked the Cabinet and President for approving the festival’s return and emphasized the city’s commitment to a cleaner, greener, and more vibrant Kampala. Other guests included the Minister for Kampala, Minsa Kabanda, and the Permanent Secretary for Tourism, Doreen Katusiime. 

The Prime Minister also announced an increase in Parish Development Model (PDM) funding for city SACCOs to account for Kampala’s rising population.

Highlights & Atmosphere

• The carnival in pictures published by New Vision showed densely packed crowds, colorful floats, costumes, and spectacle across Kololo.
• Students were visible in large numbers, enjoying performances, food, and the general festive energy.
• Dignitaries mingled with citizens, and many interacted with vendors and watched performances up close.
• The route and stage layouts allowed for smooth pedestrian flow despite the huge turnout. Some roads were closed, and security and crowd control measures were in place to manage movement. 

Significance & Forward Outlook

The 2025 Kampala City Festival represents more than a single celebration. It signals:

1. Civic revival & pride
   After years of omission, its return allows residents to reclaim public space, celebrate identity, and reengage in urban life.
2. Platform for local creatives & entrepreneurs
   With hundreds of exhibitors and performers, the festival offers visibility and commercial opportunities to small businesses, artisans, and youth innovators.
3. Urban development messaging
   The fusion of culture with infrastructure commitments (roads, cleanliness, green spaces) shows the festival as a vehicle for civic communication.
4. Tourism & branding
   Large, well-organized city festivals can draw domestic and regional tourists, showcasing Kampala as a cultural capital.
5. Institutional momentum
   To sustain this event, KCCA and partners (government, private sector, civil society) will need to institutionalize planning, budgeting, and stakeholder engagement.