Countdown to Nyege Nyege 2023: Kadaga Set to Open the Festival!

Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda and Minister for East African Community Affairs, is scheduled to officially inaugurate the eighth edition of the Uganda Waragi Nyege Nyege festival on November 9, 2023, in Jinja.

This festival, running until November 12, is being organized in collaboration with the city of Jinja, with the aim of maximizing the benefits for the city, its residents, and the broader Busoga region, according to Jinja authorities.

Kadaga has previously been commended by the Kyabazinga of Busoga, HRH William Wilberforce Gabula IV, for her unwavering support in advancing the development and promotion of Busoga Kingdom matters both nationally and internationally.

She has emphasized that Nyege Nyege stands out as the sole festival generating both direct and indirect income for traders within the Busoga subregion, urging the people of Busoga to take pride in promoting their cultural heritage.

Since its inception in 2015, the festival has been instrumental in documenting and promoting Uganda’s rich musical traditions, emerging as one of the country’s most prominent examples of cultural and festival tourism.

It consistently draws thousands of local, regional, and international visitors to Jinja and the wider Busoga region every year. Organizers report an attendance of approximately 13,000 in 2019 and around 15,000 in 2022.

This year’s edition will unfold across a vast expanse of approximately 50 acres, encompassing locations such as the Source of the Nile, Jinja Showgrounds, Jinja Golf Course, and Source Gardens.

The festival will feature a dedicated Kingdom Stage, showcasing traditional performances by more than 25 artists from Busoga, including Crazy MC, Skool Feez, Cool Demus, Swabra Kiss, Street 5, and many others.

The festival, which is backed by Uganda Waragi, a product of Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL), is commonly referred to as the embodiment of Uganda and “recognises and celebrates all the things that are uniquely and authentically Ugandan.”