Tebere honours Dr. Jessica Kaahwa and Leonard Okware

KAMPALA - Tebere Arts Foundation honoured Dr. Jessica Kaahwa and former UNCC lighting technician Leonard Okware for their contribution to the growth of the arts industry in Uganda.

The two retired theatre practitioners were honored during the closure of the 12th edition of the Kampala International Theatre festival that took place at the National Theatre and Kamwokya Treasure Life Centre (KTLC) from November 26th-30th,2025. 

According to Kenneth Kimuli, aka Pablo, the director of operations and marketing at the foundation, the organisation chose to recognise Kaahwa for having been elected as the President of the Executive Board at the International Theatre Institute at a congress that took place in Den Bosch, Netherlands, on September 21, 2024.

“Every year, during the closure of the festival, we honour two people that worked hard for the growth of the arts industry in Uganda. As Tebere Arts Foundation, we chose to honour and recognise Kaahwa and Okware because the two deserve to be recognised for dedicating their time and efforts to the growth of the arts sector in Uganda,” he said. 

“Being recognised in your home country is not easy because many people do not usually do it. In my opinion, this award is more important than even awards from other countries because it is more prestigious to be recognised by people you serve,” said Kaahwa upon receiving the award. 

On the other hand, Leonard Okware was recognised for having worked as a lighting technician at the National Theatre since 1984, when he was 22 years old. He retired in 2022 after serving in this role for 40 years and uses his retirement time to train UNCC staff on the use of lights in the theatre.

A cocktail of events at the festival 

During the five-day festival, there were several activities. There were conferences on sexual harassment in the arts sector, as well as on family and career. There were also workshops on comedy and children's theatre. 

The festival attracted nine foreign theatre groups and six local ones. The plays staged during the festival included Brenda Ibarah's Make a Room, Ekifananyi Ekibiby Rogers Kasozi, Emirandira by Benjamin Sempala, Infinite Wrath by UNIMA Uganda, Family Feud by KTLC Talents Drama Group, Boxes by Laura Byaruhanga Businge, Miss Rock Bottom by Patience Nuwagaba Patience, and Not Enough Sugar by Lamaro Lindah Angel. 

Swedish ambassador to Uganda, HE Maria Håkansson, at the festival. (Credit: Alfred Byenkya)

Foreign performers included Randy Menkemdi from Cameroon, Princess Mhlongo from South Africa, Paolo Avantaneo from Italy, Kombo Sauma from Kenya, among others.

Swedish Ambassador at the festival 

Speaking at the official opening of the festival last week, the Swedish ambassador to Uganda, HE Maria Håkansson, thanked Tebere Arts Foundation for using their platforms to fight gender based violence and for producing content that mirrors society.

“Besides this, such events promote cultural diversity and inclusion as they attract different people from different cultural backgrounds and nationalities,” she said. 

“Our country is one of the countries where art contributes a big amount of money to national development, and I believe it also has potential to contribute to the economic development of Uganda as well if it's professionalised,” she added.