Funfair. People from all walks of life jammed the city roads to enjoy the various activities during the city carnival.
kampala. From different points of the city, one of Maddox Ssematimba’s songs, ‘Kampala’, drifted through. Sound providers were readying themselves for the fourth edition of the Kampala City Festival 2015. As they did so, vendors too were drenched in a flurry of activities, offloading their merchandise, from delivery vans.
Smouldering charcoal stoves wafted the aroma of roast meat (muchomo) that attracted city dwellers to munch as they paced up the city roads savouring the fete. This was unlike the usual sight of Kampala road, from Watoto Church near Bombo Road to Jinja Road roundabout where vehicles and the menacing boda bodas were locked out to let the dwellers enjoy.
Security was tight to ensure there were no lapses, checking entrants at walk-through metallic booths.
There were the big caravans, which were an attraction to adults too. On some of these were entertainers, girls and boys dressed in colourful attire, wiggling their waists so energetically and in perilous angles. It was a colourful event, just in sync with the year’s theme- colour that brings out the city’s vibrancy, sense of style and beauty.
Earlier in the day, Kampala Capital City Authority’s chief executive Jennifer Musisi bathed in the funfair riding in her black open-roof BMW with personalised registration plate “NANKULU” (in-charge). By lunch time and into the early evening, there was a sea of people and vendors stopped at nothing to take advantage of the numbers to cash in.
Almost everything was on sale; clothes, hats, caps, key-holders, duvets, Pope Francis souvenirs and food stuffs like the truly Ugandan rolex (a mix of chapatti, tomatoes, onions and fried eggs), kikomando and all brands of drinks.
There were six stages on which artistes exhibited their talent.
Background
Kampala City Festival is a signature brand that draws multitudes to Kampala every first Sunday of October to celebrate culture, unity and provides immense networking opportunities for business. In 2014, it attracted more than two million revellers cutting across different age groups and races.
The biggest street party in East-Afrika is now an annual event that brings together all City dwellers, stakeholders and bussiness people. It focuses on togetherness, one of the city’s oldest and richest cultural ideas.
rbatte@ug.nationmedia.com