Nyege Nyege Finds New Home Away From Jinja City

For the first time in its 10-year history, Uganda’s globally celebrated Nyege Nyege Festival will not be held in Jinja City or the wider district.

This year’s festival, dubbed “Ekiggunda Ky’omuliro: the gathering of the flame,” is scheduled to take place from Thursday, November 20th to Sunday 23rd, 2025, at Adrift Overland Camp, a new site perched above the dramatic Kalagala Falls in Kayunga District.

The festival was held at the Jinja Golf Course and the Source of the Nile last year in what was touted as introducing a new “Nyege in the City” program that extended the festival experience throughout Jinja City.

The shift to Kayunga marks a significant milestone for a festival that has grown from a small gathering of music and arts lovers in 2015 to a continental showcase of underground African soundscapes, digital art, and global cultural fusion.

“Nyege Nyege Festival returns to Uganda’s sacred Kalagala Falls with over 300 artists, six stages, and a rich cultural program spanning music, fashion, film, and food — marking a decade of fearless boundary-pushing African creativity,” the festival’s official website beams.

An organiser said: “It’s not just about a venue change—it’s about deepening the experience. Kalagala is a natural amphitheatre of culture, music, adventure, and spirituality.”

Founded in 2015 by a group of expats and Ugandan creatives, Nyege Nyege—taken from a Luganda word evoking an irresistible urge to dance—has over the years drawn tens of thousands of revellers from across the world.

Its fusion of electronic, traditional, and experimental sounds has placed Uganda on the global festival map, while nurturing local talent and redefining perceptions of African music.

Economically, the event has had a measurable impact, boosting domestic tourism, supporting hospitality businesses, and injecting millions of shillings into the local economies of Jinja and surrounding towns.

According to tourism officials, Nyege Nyege attracts over 15,000 visitors annually, including international travellers who spend on accommodation, food, crafts, transport, and excursions.

Yet the festival has also been no stranger to controversy. Conservative Ugandan politicians and religious groups have repeatedly called for its cancellation, claiming it promotes immorality, homosexuality, and drug use—allegations organisers have consistently denied.

In 2018, the festival was temporarily banned before President Yoweri Museveni intervened to allow it to proceed under police monitoring.

Each edition since has come with scrutiny, media frenzy, and heated parliamentary debates.

Despite this, Nyege Nyege has persevered—and thrived. It has outgrown its original location at Nile Discovery Beach in Njeru, later migrating to Itanda Falls in Jinja District.

The festival has, in recent years, experimented with satellite stages at nearby cultural and adventure sites, including Kalagala Falls.

Why Kalagala?

Located roughly 30 kilometres upstream from Jinja along the Victoria Nile, Kalagala Falls lies in the heart of Kangulumira Sub-County in Kayunga District.

Though often mistakenly associated with Jinja, Kalagala is an independent cultural and ecological zone with rich spiritual heritage and unspoiled natural beauty.

Traditional Baganda communities revere the area, considering it a spiritual site where ancestral spirits reside in sacred landmarks such as the “spirit tree” and rock formations like Nnalongo and Ssalongo.

Rituals, prayers, and offerings are common at a tunnel known locally as Kiwaawo, believed to be a gateway between the spiritual and physical realms.

At the same time, Kalagala has emerged as a leading adventure destination, thanks to the growing popularity of Adrift Overland Camp, a riverside eco-resort operated by Adrift Uganda.

The camp offers a range of accommodations, high-adrenaline activities like bungee jumping and whitewater rafting, and serene options such as sunset cruises and cultural village walks.

For Nyege Nyege’s organisers, this blend of cultural sanctity and adventure thrills made Kalagala a natural choice.

“We wanted a site that embodies everything Nyege Nyege stands for—nature, music, culture, and freedom of expression,” the organiser noted.

“Adrift Overland Camp offers us the space, energy, and safety to create something unforgettable for our 10th anniversary.”

A strategic shift—and a fresh opportunity

The reloction also reflects practical considerations. In recent years, Nyege Nyege has faced challenges in Jinja related to crowd control, security enforcement, and land use disputes.

The festival’s presence at Itanda Falls had also raised concerns about environmental degradation and noise pollution.

By moving to Kalagala, the organisers are signaling a new chapter—one that prioritises sustainability, decentralisation, and immersive cultural integration.

Kayunga District leaders have welcomed the move, pledging cooperation with tourism agencies, security forces, and local communities to ensure a safe and successful event.

For local businesses and tourism operators, the relocation offers new opportunities. “We expect a boom,” said a tour operator based in Kangulumira. “It’s our turn to host the world, and we’re ready.”