By Our Reporter
Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs has officially opened the 2023 Nyege Nyege festival which is taking in Jinja.
While officiating over the opening ceremony on Thursday, she thanked the hundreds of attendees who flocked to the festival on its first day for supporting the local economy of Busoga and tourism in Uganda and urged them to enjoy themselves.
She also invited them to invest wisely in the region so that they can also reap from next year’s edition of the festival – reiterating the festival’s economic impact on the community of Jinja and its surrounding areas.
The festival – which is organised by Talent Africa Group and sponsored by Uganda Waragi – has been referred to as “the Tomorrowland of Africa” and is having its eighth edition in Jinja City from 9th to 12th November. Every year, it attracts thousands of local and foreign visitors to Jinja and its surrounding areas for three days of music, community, self-expression and diversity.
Hon. Kadaga was taken on a brief tour of the festival grounds – spending time at the Busoga Kingdom stage, which will feature performances from over 25 artists from the region, and Uganda Breweries Limited’s “Wrong Side of the Road” tent, which is encouraging festival attendees to adopt healthy and responsible alcohol consumption habits.
While addressing concerns around security during the festival, Hon. Kadaga said, “His Excellency the President has requested me to assure you that all the major events in Jinja – starting with this one and the Kyabazinga’s wedding happening next weekend – are fully secure.”
She added that the president had deployed senior military and police officers who are experts specialising in specific fields to oversee security at the festival. Among them are Brig. Gen. Joseph Semwanga – the UPDF 1st Division Commander; Col. Robert Ruteinama – the Busoga region UPDF Cantonment Commander; ACP Ashraf Chemonges – the Commander of the Alert Squad in the Uganda Police; Brig. Joseph Semwanga; ACP Patrick Lawot and Col. Bernard Tuhame.