The Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) campus was alive with colour, rhythm, and cultural pride on Friday as the institution hosted its annual Cultural Gala a celebration that drew students, staff, and distinguished guests in a vibrant display of Uganda’s rich ethnic heritage.
The event, held at the university grounds in Fort Portal City, reached a distinguished milestone this year with the presence of Owek. Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, the Prime Minister (Omuhikirwa) of the Tooro Kingdom, whose attendance lent both royal dignity and a powerful affirmation of the university’s deep roots in the Tooro cultural landscape.
Owek Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki’s attendance was widely regarded as a seal of royal endorsement for MMU’s commitment to preserving and promoting indigenous culture through higher education. Addressing guests and students gathered at the venue, the Omuhikirwa commended the university for sustaining a platform where Uganda’s diverse ethnic tapestry could be celebrated.
“Culture is not a relic of our past; it is the foundation upon which we build our future,” the Prime Minister noted, drawing sustained applause from the assembled audience.
His presence underscored the strong institutional relationship between Mountains of the Moon University and the Tooro Kingdom, a bond rooted in shared geography, shared values, and a mutual investment in the region’s social and intellectual development.
Among the many tribes that took to the stage to present their dance, song, attire, and oral traditions, it was the Bakonzo community that emerged as the evening’s most celebrated performers. Representing the indigenous people of the Rwenzori Mountain region, the Bakonzo contingent delivered a captivating performance that judges and spectators alike found difficult to surpass — ultimately clinching the top position in the 2026 cultural gala competition.
Their presentation, rich in the signature rhythms, costumes, and storytelling traditions of the Bakonzo people, was met with thunderous applause and earned them the gala’s highest accolade, a fitting triumph that celebrated one of Western Uganda’s most storied cultural identities.
Student performers from other tribes — including the Banyoro, Batoro, Bamba, and various communities from across Uganda — also put forward spirited representations, making the evening a true mosaic of the nation’s cultural wealth.
Culture as a Pillar of University Life
MMU’s annual Cultural Gala has grown in stature and scale as one of the institution’s most anticipated events in the academic calendar.