Kampala city primary schools triumph at national MDD festival
Nakivubo Primary School garnered 1,326 points, defeating 89 other participants.
Rt. Rev.Fred Sheldonb Mwesigwa, the Bishop of Ankole Diocese bishop handing over a trophy to Nakivubo Primary School who emerged the winners of the National MDD festival 2025. (Photos by )
By Abdulkarim Ssengendo
Journalists @New Vision
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Nakivubo Primary School has emerged as the overall winner of the 2025 National Primary Schools Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) competition.
The school garnered 1,326 points, defeating 89 other participants. Buganda Road Primary School took second position with 1,302 points, while Clevers' Origin Primary School came third with 1,284 points.
The festival, which ended on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at Mbarara Junior Primary School and Mbarara High School, was presided over by Ankole Diocese Bishop Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa.
The three winning schools had been recently flagged off by Benon Kigenyi, the deputy executive director of Kampala Capital City Authority, to represent the capital.
Rt. Rev.Fred Sheldonb Mwesigwa, the Bishop of Ankole Diocese bishop handing over a trophy to Buganda Road Primary School who took the second position in the National MDD festival 2025.
In his closing remarks, Bishop Mwesigwa appreciated Mbarara Junior School and Mbarara High School for their high level of hospitality, having hosted tens of thousands of pupils and their teachers. The competition featured 77 government-aided primary schools and 12 private primary schools.
The Bishop also hailed the Ministry of Education for its efforts to promote children’s talents, highlighting examples of Ugandans who have found great success in music.
Host headteachers, Nathan Mugume of Mbarara Junior School and Ham Ahimbisibwe of Mbarara High School, called for increased funding for MDD activities. They reported that many qualified schools failed to attend the festival, and some that did could not sustain the costs through the final day.
Mbarara City Resident Commissioner Catherine Kamwine hailed parents for allowing their children to participate. Robert Ekwap, the assistant commissioner for primary education in the Ministry of Education, challenged private schools to stop shunning co-curricular activities.
He reported that this year’s performance had greatly improved across the board and reiterated the ministry's commitment to developing children’s talents through sports and co-curricular activities. He encouraged participation over competition to help nurture talents and confirmed the ministry has taken note of the funding challenges.
This year’s competition, organised under the theme “A Safe Learning Environment for Social Transformation,” featured schools competing in categories including drama, poetry, creative dance, traditional folk dance, original compositions, instrumental performances, speeches, and songs.