Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has extended this year’s City Festival from October 5th to October 12th, 2025.
The festival, initially scheduled as a pre-Independence Day celebration, will now take place days later, allowing the city to host the official national Independence Day events.
“The festival will now take place on October 12 after the official Independence Day celebrations. We shall kick off with a grand procession starting from Buganda Road through Kyagwe up to Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.” KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki confirmed
She noted that beyond entertainment, the festival would highlight the Authority’s beautification initiatives, including tree planting along Nile Avenue and other city greening programs.
“The Kampala City Festival is one of the most popular annual social events, attracting thousands of city dwellers and visitors,” she said. “KCCA expects this year’s edition to draw even larger numbers, given the festival’s return after disruptions caused by COVID-19 and other logistical constraints.”she stressed.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, ACP Rusoke Kituuma outlined guidelines aimed at preventing crime and ensuring smooth access to Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
“All people entering Kololo will go through access control checks, and any unauthorised objects will be confiscated,” he said.
Kituuma urged revelers to use designated entrances to avoid delays or inconveniences and cautioned parents to closely monitor their children during the celebrations.
“Take care of your children because we do not want to register cases of abandoned minors, which not only cause distress but also inconvenience the deployed security teams,” he stressed.
Traffic management around Kololo will be tightly controlled, with a security checkpoint set up at Hotel Africana and a map displayed to guide motorists.
Motorists will be diverted to Lugogo bypass for access to Kololo, with cut-off points enforced at Upper Elgon Terrace, Katikati traffic lights, and Prince Charles–Obua Road.
VIP parking will be at Kololo grounds through Elgon and Kololo Police Post Gate, but strictly for vehicles with official stickers. Non-VIP parking will be at City High School and Kabojja Junior School. Kituuma stressed that parking on road reserves is prohibited, and abandoned vehicles will be towed at the owner’s cost.
Kituuma reassured the public that all security agencies have been mobilized in a joint operation to safeguard the festival.
“Security is complete under unity and synergy, and we call upon the public to collaborate with us to make sure the festival is safe and enjoyable,” he emphasised.
