Uganda is set to host the third edition of Jumuiya Ya Afrika Mashariki Uamaduni Festival (JAMAFEST) in a bid to promote social economic ties, tourism, and trade among the East African Community Member states.
The Festival is slated for a week starting on 7th September and ending on 15th September which will incorporate a cultural fashion show that’s expected to attract over 3,000 people on the 14th. The festival will be hosted at three venues; Kololo Independence grounds (main event grounds), The Pearl Of Africa Hotel (Fashion Show and closing dinner gala), and at the National Theater (film festival, comedy, and drama).
The festival will also have a carnival that will be running through select parts of Kampala city. Other activities to run during the festival include; live musical performances, theatre/comedy, arts and craft exhibitions, literary works, film shows, poetry, storytelling, acrobatics, workshop/symposium, culinary art, fashion show, and children’s theatre. There will also be a cultural marketplace where cultural goods will be sold.
The JAMAFEST 2017, will run under the theme, “ Culture and creative industries: An Engine for unity and Employment Creation”. A theme Song has been composed and will be played throughout the festival period as part of the publicity campaign of creating awareness of the role of arts and culture in regional integration.
The East African Community (EAC) Partner States under Article 119 of the EAC treaty, undertook to promote close co-operation among themselves in culture and sports, with respect to the promotion of cultural activities, including the fine arts, literature, music and performing arts and other artistic creations as one way of creating an East African as one Community.
JAMAFEST was instituted by the 20th Meeting of the East African Community Council of Ministers held on 20th March 2010 and subsequent Council of Ministers’ Meeting held in September 2011, which directed the EAC Secretariat to organize regular EAC Arts and Culture Festival in the EAC Partner States on a rotational basis. The first edition was held in February 2013 in Kigali Rwanda and attracted an audience of over 17,500 people, the second edition was held in Kenya in 2015 and it also attracted a significant number of people.
