KAMPALA went crazy at the stroke of midnight yesterday as revellers greeted the new year, write Vision Reporters.

It was a giant party in which the mighty and the small danced, drunk and kissed in ecstasy.

Giant fireworks exploded, lighting up the skies. Throngs of people burst into ululation. American singer Tevin Campbell flavoured the party night with a brilliant performance for thousands of revellers at the Nile Hotel Gardens. A host of local artists also performed.

The Sheraton Hotel hosted a big new-year dinner dance for Kampala’s cream. It also had a splendid display of fire-works.

At the Sheraton’s sh150,000-per-ticket dinner were Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi, the European head of delegation, Sigurd Illing, businessmen Gordon Wavamunno and James Mulwana and the presidential media advisor John Nagenda.

When midnight clocked, the Nile Hotel management gave revellers sparklers and fire crackers, making a sea of lights in the wide gardens.

At Lugogo end-of-year concert, Paul Kafeero and others entertained thousands of revellers.

Speke Resort Munyoyo on the Lake Victoria shores also displayed huge fireworks.
The secondary school holiday makers had their New Year at a street bash on Wilson Road organised by Cineplex Cinema and DV8 bar.

In Ntinda, however, an unidentified old woman who joined in the new year celebration at the Spot-After, a trendy bar, was scared by the fireworks.

The woman, wearing a green gomesi, went flat on her belly as the fireworks crackled away.

Hundreds of residents who gathered at the pub were dazzled by the 10-minute colourful explosions which, according to management, cost over sh3m.

Another elderly woman reveller who seemed to have had more than enough to drink spread out her cloak in the air in an attempt to trap the dust of the fire works explosions.
At the Venue, located at the Garden City complex, the revellers went on a mass kiss-and-hug session as the clock ticked towards midnight.

The crowd, which comprised of families and young couples, lit short firecrackers, which they swung from side to side as they congratulated each other upon crossing over to the new year.

“I have to celebrate because a year is very long. So many things happened during the course of last year. I am so happy now that I have crossed,” a man said.

“It would be very unfair to yourself if you do not celebrate upon achieving this because many people died last year,” a tipsy girl said.

The crowd rushed out of the bar to watch the fireworks racing into the skies at the Sheraton and Nile hotels.

Nile Hotel took the cake for the best display.
Ends