Making the Kampala Writes Festival key in Africa – Sheila Akwany

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The second edition of the Kampala Writes Literature Festival, which took place last month (August), was organised by the Goethe-Zentrum Kampala / Ugandan German Cultural Society, who also organised the first one last year. Sheila Akwany, the Director, spoke to Kalungi Kabuye about the whys and hows and the future of the festival. Excerpts:

Q: What inspired the idea of hosting the Kampala Writes Literature Festival, and what goals did you hope to achieve through this event?

A: The UGCS founded the Kampala Writes Literature festival in 2024. This came from our desire to focus our programming a bit more and respond to larger sector needs in the literature space. Our previous programmes around literature focused on smaller gatherings, with more emphasis on selling books and craft items. Since the winding up of the Writivism festival, there has not been a proper space for the industry to converge.

Sheila Akwany (r), Director of the Ugandan German Cultural Society, at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Kampala Writes LitFest inside The Yusuf Lule Auditoorium, Makerere University on August 15th, 2025. PHOTO BY KALUNGI KABUYE

Take us through the planning process, how it all begun from last year?

The process began with trying to find a curator. We put out an open call, and Goretti Kyomuhendo was the only one who applied. We got together and started the process of organising a festival in about 4 months. She came up with the name Kampala Writes, and I found a designer to come up with a logo. With that, the festival was born. The first edition was held at the Onomo Hotel last year.

What do you think about the theme, ‘Belonging’, how suitable was it for this year’s festival?

The festival theme was selected by the curator, Goretti Kyomuhendo. We thought it encompassed a lot of what is in the current global discourse related to migration, rise of the far right in the west, the current upheaval in the Sahel, war in Gaza and Sudan and so forth. Everything seems to come down to who belongs and who does not belong, and how the world responds to that. It was critical to have a local reflection to these topics.

What makes this festival unique?

Besides being the only literature festival in Uganda, we have the ambition to connect local writers to the international scene, invite publishers and agents to scout for new talents and grow local audiences.

What were some of the most memorable moments or sessions from the festival, and why did they stand out to you?

Having Jennifer Makumbi grace the opening of this year’s festival was an honour. She is a role model to all of us, not just in Uganda but to all writers from the continent. Hosting Nick Makoha and Iryne Tushabe, both successful writers from Uganda, coming back home to grace the festival, was also privilege. It speaks to the fact that there is a lot of talent in Uganda. It just needs support to thrive.

How does the Kampala Writes Festival contribute to promoting Ugandan literature and supporting local writers?

We create platforms for writers to interact with the broader literature scene, including local audiences and publishers. This is essential for the growth of local audiences and tapping into the current demand for African literature. By inviting international guests, publishers and agents, we also create opportunities for peer-to-peer exchange and learning that will help authors scale up their practice and find ways to monetise their work.

The live-streaming was a new innovation, how did that work out? How was the response?

The stream enabled us to reach those residing outside of Kampala, as well as those abroad, who were generally interested in the festival but could not travel to Uganda. The response was very positive. We hope to do it again next year.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in organising the festival, and how did you overcome them?

Working with a limited budget is always difficult. We appreciate the Makerere University, the German Embassy and the British Council for their contributions in kind and also for supporting a few panels and workshops. We look forward to extending those partnerships in the coming years.

How do you envision the future of the Kampala Writes Literature Festival, and what plans do you have for upcoming editions?

We want to make the festival one of the key literature festivals in Africa, adding to the regular circuit of festivals people plan to visit each year. For the upcoming editions, we would like to diversify the panels and bring in more authors from French and Portuguese-speaking countries. We also want to attach a writer’s residency, or long-term mentorship programme for authors and poets.

Author Nii Ayikwei Parkes (l) and poet Nick Makoha during a panel discussion at the 2025 Kampala Writes Literature Festival at Makerere University on August 16th, 2025. PHOTO BY KALUNGI KABUYE

Are there any initiatives or programs being implemented to support emerging writers or literary talent in Uganda?

We hope to start a mentorship programme for upcoming authors and poets facilitated by local and international literary figures.

This year’s festival was rated by many as very successful, how do you plan to ride on this momentum?

Building on current partnerships and starting up a reading group to keep the audience engaged throughout the year, before the festival.

How do you measure the success of the festival, and what impact do you hope it will have on Uganda's literary scene?

Success would be having a full hall of people who are excited about and intentional about the literature scene. With the fleeting nature of funding, it would be great if the festival can sustain itself partially through ticket sales.

What role does the festival play in promoting cultural exchange and understanding through literature?

Promoting engagement with the international scene creates a wonderful opportunity for visiting guests to interact with local authors, but also enables us to learn about the current trends in literature and non-traditional ways of audience building and monetising work, e.g. through selling rights and developing audiobooks. There is a lot out there that we can take more advantage of to grow the sector.

Are there any plans to document or archive the festival's proceedings, and if so, how will they be made accessible to the public?

Yes. We are building a website and will keep an active YouTube page with snippets of the festival over the years.

What partnerships made the festival possible, and how did they contribute to its success?

Makerere hosted the festival and waived the rental fee. which allowed us to channel funds to much-needed areas; the German embassy supported one panel and also invited the deputy ambassador to sit on a panel on funding for the arts. The British Council was instrumental in bringing in Jeniffer Makumbi from the UK and facilitating the workshop on distribution models. This was informed by their research into gaps in the literature scene across Africa. We hope to work with them more in the coming years to fill more of those gaps.

How does the Uganda German Cultural Society support literary initiatives in Uganda?  

For now, through the festival. As part of the wider Goethe-Institut Network, we are also able to extend any opportunities in Germany to local authors and poets. We share all open calls and mobility fund applications as and when they come.