31/03/2026
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Kampala, Uganda By the Uganda Centre of ITI
🎉𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀
The International Theatre Institute (ITI) 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 made a triumphant comeback with the Uganda Theatre Excellence Awards (UTEA) after 35 years without any recognition for theatre artists in Uganda. The Uganda National Theatre was packed to the brim with theatre practitioners from all over Kampala gathering to celebrate art and witness this historic moment. Honouring the 2024–2025 season across ten categories, the ceremony brought together 104 nominees from 23 productions, celebrating the extraordinary depth of talent driving Uganda's theatre industry.
What set UTEA apart from the outset was its unapologetically public mandate. In the four-day voting window that closed on 26 March, 𝟱,𝟴𝟰𝟬 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟰𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀. As the President of ITI Uganda Centre, Aganza Kisaka, alluded to in her opening remarks, the numbers are more than a statistic; they are a declaration. Uganda's theatre community commands a vast, passionate, and deeply engaged audience. The conversation about infrastructure must now catch up: the clamour for a world-class, purpose-built venue has never been louder.
The Guest of Honour and chief sponsor, the Resident Director of St. Lawrence University, Peter Ssemakula, lent the occasion an international academic gravitas, underscoring the universal language of performance and the imperative of institutional support for theatre education. The Guest Speaker, 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗞𝗮𝗮𝗵𝘄𝗮, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗧𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲, delivered an address that drew on the importance of friendship, collaboration, and the role each individual has to play as the nation’s cultural stewards. She challenged artists to serve with the good of the whole industry in mind and allow theatre to thrive.
When the votes were tallied and the envelopes opened, the inaugural UTEA champions were: Male Ronald (Best Actor), Tayo Shonubi (Best Actress), Aganza Kisaka (Best Director), She Loves Me (Best Production), Kenneth Kanaabi (Best Set Design), Arafat Mugambe (Best Light Design), Arafat Mugambe & Mariam Ndagire (Best Sound Design), Guy Jairus Zziwa (Best Costume Design), Brenda Ibarah (Best Theatre Script), and Precious Nsimenta (Best Stage Manager).
The evening also featured a moving tribute to the late Esteri Tebandeke, a towering figure in Uganda's performing arts whose legacy loomed large over the celebrations. Audiences witnessed various monologues and dance performances from artists like Andereya Baguma, Joana Mbabazi, Trevor Mangeni, Simeon Lakuc, and a devised theatre piece entitled Love from Zimbabwe. Each performance highlighted various aspects of theatre like music, dance, and drama, and the need to recognize talented individuals.
As the curtain fell on UTEA 2026, one thing was clear: Uganda's theatre fraternity is not a niche community; it is a movement, and it is ready for a stage worthy of its ambitions.
🔵𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗧𝗜
The Uganda Centre of the International Theatre Institute is the official national chapter of ITI Worldwide, the world's largest performing arts organisation under the auspices of UNESCO. ITI Uganda promotes theatre excellence, artist development, and cultural diplomacy across Uganda and the East African region.
https://iti.ug/
