Gulu’s Christ Church Choir heads to Mombasa for International Hymn Festival

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A 50-member delegation from the Christ Church Gulu Choir has departed for Mombasa, Kenya, to participate in the prestigious International Hymn Festival. 

The competition, hosted by the Church of Kenya at Mombasa Cathedral, runs from October 28 to November 2, 2025, and features over 80 Anglican choirs from across East Africa.

Purpose and leadership

The festival is more than just a competition; its main objective is to spread the gospel through hymn singing and psalm chanting, thereby preserving the traditional musical heritage of the Anglican Church.

George Pele Okumu, the Chairperson of the choir, expressed confidence in the team, stating: "We are thoroughly prepared for the competition and hope to achieve the best possible results."

The choir is led by a dedicated team of officials, including trainers Betty Aber and Dennis Ojwee, choir director John Charles Luwa, and chairperson George Pele Okumu. The delegation is also accompanied by two clergymen, Rev. Matthew Ocaka and Rev. Godfrey Opiyo, the latter of whom also sings tenor in the choir.

Clergy blessings and performance categories

Before their departure from Christ Church in Gulu city on Sunday, October 26, the choir members received blessings from the curate, Rev. Peter Oyat. 

Rev. Oyat wished them a safe journey and asked for divine protection, while also thanking the congregation for their generous contributions.

The Gulu choir will compete in a wide range of musical set pieces, covering both individual and group performances. These include solo singing, duet, trio, and quartet (for four singers).

The Small Choir category features performances by ensembles of between 16 and 24 members. The main event is the General Choir Competition, which involves large choirs composed of 36 to 65 singers performing four set pieces.

History of achievement and financial hurdles

This year marks the 11th consecutive time Christ Church Gulu has participated in the International Hymn Festival. The choir has a strong record of performance, consistently ranking no lower than sixth overall in competitions featuring between fifty and eighty choirs.

Notable achievements include finishing 2nd Overall and 1st in Chanting in 2016 (held in Nairobi), 4th Overall and 3rd in Chanting in 2015, and a major victory in 2024 when Ismail Larok Akera won the Tenor Solo singing competition.

Despite their consistent success, financial constraints remain a recurring challenge. The choir requires over sh20 million annually to cover expenses such as transport, accommodation, meals, and medical needs.

According to trainer Dennis Ojwee, financial difficulties forced the group to miss the 2019 festival.

For this year’s event, the team managed to raise the sh20 million target, though they acknowledged that the amount might still be insufficient. The choir relies heavily on contributions from its members, well-wishers, Christians, and the church administration.