President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Friday, 26 th June, 2026 officially opened the inaugural Uganda Cultural and Tourism Festival in Munich, Germany.
The three-day festival brings together Ugandans in the diaspora,tourism stakeholders, investors, and friends of Uganda to celebrate the country's rich cultural heritage and tourism potential.
In his message delivered by Ms. Mariam Ataho, Presidential Assistant on Music and Cultural Affairs, President Musevenihighlighted the importance of preserving and promoting Uganda's
cultural heritage as a cornerstone of national identity, unity, and socio-economic transformation.
He also shared with the attendees his song and poem collections,through Ms. Ataho whom he described as a young and gifted singer.
“My aides are telling me that the collections have got a total of 127 items. These are all the songs or poems, composed (Kuhiimba) by the Banyankore – Bahororo that are part of the Interlacustrine Bantus (the Bantu of the Great Lakes area – Nalubaale, Butuumbi, Mwitanzigye, Rweeru, etc). Those are the real names of the Lakes
Victoria, Edward, Albert and George. The River Nile is called Kiira,” he said.
“That is why you hear of the Kiira Motors the electric vehicles our scientists are now manufacturing. Some of these songs or poems were being sung or recited before colonialism before the coming of the Europeans to our area. They cover many aspects of life such as love, beautiful women, wealth creation (cattle, crops, etc), disasters (e.g. drought and bush-fires), wars of the tribes, the land features of
the different parts of Uganda, politics, etc.”
President Museveni further explained that the songs in particular, were accompanied with instruments such as enaanga, endingyiri, engoma, omukuli, akakyenkye, among others.
“When one of my aunts, known as Senga, died recently, I got Ataho to sing one of those songs at her funeral. This is one of the tunes she will share with you and, apparently, many people liked it. Hence, this invitation to your function to sing that piece, again and possibly, others. Those who want good soothing tunes, you are at
the right address with our collections.”
The President also noted that he has only authorized the publication of some of the tunes and that he told the First Daughter Natasha Karugire to first audit all of them, with his help, to remove the occasional tribal chauvinism that a number of them would contain on account of the bankrupt Kings and Chiefs that were
dividing Ugandans in the past.
“The Great Lakes had hard-working and brave communities. One of the weaknesses was our bankrupt Kings that were promoting wars among us,” he said.
Furthermore, he revealed that the collection of these tunes was part of the Resistance Movement against some of the people that misused the new religions of Christianity and Islam to wipe out culture and transform Ugandans into black Europeans and Arabs.
“One of the adherents of that cultural movement was my mother, Esiteri Kokundeka who, together with me in company when I was just short of 3years, joined the new religion in 1947, along with Mzee Amosi Kaguta,” he said.
“My mother declared all traditional tunes as pagan, satanic and we had to sing only Zaburi songs (the Prayer Book with hymns). However, even in our homestead (our Kraal), when they would have a beer- party (amaarwa), they would sing those indigenous songs and they were so beautiful and I would enjoy them as I went to sleep but I could not join because my mother was against them.”
He however disclosed that his suppressed thirst for these songs was finally liberated in 1983 in the Luwero Triangle. “A woman, Sgt. Maga Kavuyo, came to the camp with Enaanga (the harp). I, immediately, put her in the High Command Compound from where she gathered a group. They were then, later joined by my
aunt, Senga and others. That is how we launched a revival movement,” he said.
“When we came from the bush, we were joined by others, including Mzee Kirindi and his wife, Kembuundu. Everybody who came resurrected something that was nearly lost. I salute everybody for their contribution. This music is superior to anything I have ever had an opportunity to listen to.”
The Head of the State House Diaspora Unit, Mr. Mohammed Bagonza, reaffirmed the Unit's commitment to strengthening diaspora engagement and called upon Ugandans abroad to remain
united and actively support initiatives that showcase Uganda as the Pearl of Africa.
The festival will feature cultural performances, tourism exhibitions,business networking, and investment engagements aimed at deepening ties between Uganda and its diaspora while positioning
Uganda as a premier tourism and investment destination in Europe.
