With lots of sponsors, a big part of the festival looked like a trade fair with poorly dressed people. PHOTOS BY ANDREW KAGGWA
All is set for the first-ever “Nyege Nyege’ dubbed Cere Festival 2019 in West Nile.
The four-day festival shall be held from April 31 to May 3, 2019 at the famous Miriadua Falls in Kijomoro Sub County in Maracha District.
Gerald Iga, the Head of Cere Festival organizing Committee, says various forms of Entertainment and Tourism activities targeting the International community shall be their key focus.
Joseph Chobe Wambuzi, the Head of Finance Cere Festival, says the event will surpass the second Nyege Nyege Festival, which was held in Buikwe district in December last year.
According to him, the festival will make a history of an outlook for West Nile and Northern Uganda through unique music and cultural performances.
According to the organizers, over 3,000 people are expected to participate in the Festival that will feature more than 50 Artistes from Northern Uganda and beyond.
One of the things that stood out at this year’s Nyege Nyege festival was the free WiFi at MTN’s Wild Bae stage and the live studio sessions offered by Swangz Avenue at the Bell Jamz stage. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
Lawrence Adiga, the Maracha District LC V Chairperson, says the festival will enable local people to appreciate the value of tourism and enable the youths to develop their talents in Art, Music and culture.
Maracha district local government has already embarked on constructing sanitary facilities at Miriadua Falls.
Last year, the Ethics and Integrity Minister, Fr. Simon Lokodo tried to stop the festival, saying it compromises the cultural values of Ugandans since it is characterised with open sex, drug abuse and homosexuality.
“This ugly thing called Nyege Nyege is not taking place this year. We have already evaluated how much losses will come. We shall save the image of this country but not allow this to take place for the two days and one night,” Lokodo said.
A photo from 2017 Nyege Nyege Festival..
PHOTO CREDIT: TWENY MOMENTS
He later allowed the festival to take place following a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the organisers, Big Talent Africa and Uganda Police.
The MOU banned among others open sex, drug abuse, homosexuality and processions to and from the festival venue. The MOU also compelled the organisers to grant police unfettered access to the venue to maintain law and order.
