Abavandimwe Carnival Igitaramo second edition ‘loading’ as organisers tease November return

What the report says

Organisers of the Abavandimwe Carnival Igitaramo have teased a second edition of the cultural festival, sharing a poster online that says it is “loading” and hints at a November return. The artwork, circulating on social media, does not include a date, venue or performer list, but it reinforces the event’s cultural branding with Kinyarwanda wording and the label “100% Ugandan.”

Watchdog Uganda reports that the teaser comes after the inaugural carnival filled Lugogo Cricket Oval and was presented as the start of an annual event. The first edition was held on 3 January 2026 in Kampala under the Council for Abavandimwe, chaired by Frank Gashumba. It featured a wide mix of performers, including leading Ugandan musicians and Rwanda’s Inyamibwa Cultural Troupe, alongside gospel sets.

According to the report, organisers later said the turnout had exceeded expectations and that the carnival would return every year to promote culture and unity. The Council for Abavandimwe describes itself as an umbrella body for indigenous Banyarwanda in Uganda, and has previously linked the festival to efforts to counter stigma around citizenship, land, business registration and public service access. With only a teaser released so far, followers are waiting for further details on the second edition’s official programme.