By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The much-loved Kampala City Carnival is making a long-anticipated return, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) announced on Monday.
Speaking at a press briefing at Uganda Media Centre, KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki confirmed the official launch will take place on August 6, 2025, at City Hall.
“I am excited to announce the return of the city celebrations,” said Buzeki. “I want you to mark the word celebration, not the other words you know.”
“It’s coming back. It’s going to be big. It’s going to be better this month,” Buzeki said.
The Executive Director emphasized that the event would be more than just a festival, it will be a celebration of culture, unity, and community spirit.
“This is not just about festivity,” she said. “It’s about coming together as a city, recognizing how far we have come, renewing our political commitments, and building a cleaner and more sustainable economy.”
Full festival dates, according to the authority will be unveiled during the launch.
“As we say at KCCA, and I say it again here: it is the responsibility of each one of us to make Kampala a city we all deserve to have,” Buzeki emphasized.
About Kampala City Carnival
First launched in 2012, the Kampala City Carnival quickly grew into the city’s largest annual street festival, attracting thousands of revelers from across Uganda and beyond. Featuring parades, music performances, food stalls, and cultural showcases, the event was designed to celebrate Kampala’s diversity and vibrancy while promoting local businesses. The three days event was suspended in 2018 due to budgetary constraints and public health concerns, but remains a cherished tradition among city residents.
Speaking to journalists at the annunciation of the carnival suspension, the then KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi said the money that was meant to fund the carnival would be channeled to other productive activities such as schools, health facilities among others.
“We spend about Shs500 million in organising the festival but we realised that if we divert this money to schools and hospitals, it would be better because some of the people who come to the festival are the very people who go to seek services in our city health centres and schools,” Musisi said.
The return of the Carnival marks a renewed effort by the city authorities to re-energize Kampala’s cultural identity and civic pride.
Further details on the theme, performances, and parade routes are expected to be announced at the official launch this week.
