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Nyege Nyege festival back on September 1-3

Saturday August 19 2017
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The West Nile Fusion band performing at the inaugural edition in 2015. PHOTO | DANIEL ECWALU

By BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI

Underground music lovers will be treated to a wide range of rhythms and styles at the Nyege Nyege International Music Festival set for September 1-3, in Jinja, 80 kilometres east of Kampala.

This year’s edition will feature music stars from all regions of Africa, representing the best contemporary African styles of kuduros, kwaito, Afro house, hiplife, Tuareg rock, cosmic synths from Niger, Arab tech, Moroccan bass, zouk bass, soukous, balani, funana, and Swahili trap and Tigrinian blues, among others.

Afro diaspora music Cumbia from South America, vodou jazz from Haiti and underground hip-hop from the US will bridge the divide.  

“Music lovers can expect three days of nonstop music with a lineup of over 200 artistes from all over the world. A collaboration with NTS Radio and Arts Council UK will see a showcasing of DJs from the world’s most influential Internet radio stations. Thirteen cultural troupes will grace the festival, giving special focus to the rich and diverse traditions of Uganda,” the festival’s co-director Derek Debru told The EastAfrican.

The festival will be held on four mounted stages at the Nile Discovery Beach at the famous source of the River Nile located behind the Nalubaale Dam. The site is a four acre lush tropical forest with open spaces tapering off to its own sandy river bank.

The Nyege Nyege Festival will also explore afro-fusion cuisine, snacks, barbeque and drinks; will screen films and showcase custom-made afro-futuristic dresses, designs and decorations.   

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Tickets are already on sale online: Friday Sept 1 Ush70,000 ($19); Saturday Sept 2 Ush100,000 ($27.4); and Sunday Sept 3 Ush50,000 ($13). A three-day festival pass will cost Ush170,000 ($46.6).

For those wishing to camp for the three days of the festival, a tent for two people with two mattresses can be hired for Ush100,000 ($27.4), but you can bring your own tent at no charge.

A large selection of accommodation and catering services to suit all budgets is available close to the festival site, which is five minutes away from Jinja city centre and a few minutes off the main Kampala-Jinja-Nairobi highway.

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