The Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) has leapt into the preparations for the upcoming Inter-religious Family Festival 2024, which is set for this weekend.The association will provide part of the entertainment for the festival, which is hoped to revive the family spirit by celebrating unity, peace, and African cultural heritage.
Phina Mugerwa Masanyalaze, the UMA General Secretary, told the press on Wednesday that UMA members are being called upon to register to perform at the event, slated for Saturday, June 29, at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.President Yoweri Museveni is expected as the chief guest and will be accompanied by his wife, Janet.“The Inter-religious Family Festival is inspired by the ideal of ‘One Family under God.’ It affirms that all people, regardless of tribe, religion, and nationality, belong to the one human family and are endowed by the Creator with freedom and fundamental rights,” said the UMA boss.At least 20,000 participants are expected, according to Ms. Mugerwa, including international guests, kings, chiefs, religious leaders, parents, teachers, business entrepreneurs, students, and the general communityDaniel Token Wejuli from the Interreligious Council of Uganda said the festival will place a lot of emphasis on the family institution.
“We are at least religions that are coming together because our goal is to ensure that we have families that are stable and based on culture and traditions as God intended,” he said.“We call upon you to be part of this event as long as whatever you are doing is for the good of the family. I know that our musicians and other entertainers have already come up with works that will drive this message.”Milton Kambula, President of the Global Peace Foundation, said they thought it important to bring on board musicians to this festival because of the weight of the influence they carry in society.“We are saying that we want to have music that builds families, that unites peace and moves the national vision,” he said.Some of the artists who will be part of the event promised to put on a show that will carry a message of family revival.
Comedian and TikToker Kabanda Sulaiman, better known as Taata Kimbowa, said, “I call upon my fellow TikTokers to come and embrace this chance for us to receive proper guidance from our elders.”Ibrahim Mayanja, aka Big Eye, another artist, also emphasized the role of the family in nation-building, noting that a lot has gone wrong where families have broken down.
“When families break down, people channel anger to their places of work, many people have failed at their jobs, and others have taken their own lives,” he said.The event, according to Singer Soffie Gombya, will also have a health camp that will provide counselling services for couples and individuals, blood donations, and free tests for cancer and HIV.The Inter-religious Family Festival 2024 will be free of charge for those who wish to attend.
