On the 17th April 2024 the Uganda Festival came to the Kenya Coast. A four-day collaboration between the Uganda Consulate in Mombasa and the Coastal counties of Kenya.

Vipingo Ridge partnered with other tourism stakeholders to host two of the events. You can learn more about the event announcement:

Uganda Festival Starts with a Show

Vipingo Ridge hosted a Cultural Performance evening on 19th April, a spectacle of comedy, cuisine and the vibrant culture of Uganda. Anne Kansiime and the Ndere Troupe took our sell-out audience on a journey across Uganda; led by the legendary Dr. Stephen Rwangyezi (he was simply incredible) exploring the different clans, rituals and colourful differences and similarities through performance.

Hosted at the Sundowner, the Vipingo Ridge vaulted makuti venue space the audience experienced high production quality show that was truly engaging, comedic and uplifting. The guests included esteemed guests from Kilifi County, teams from the Ugandan Embassy in Nairobi and hosted by Ambassador Paul Mukumbya, Consul General of Uganda to Mombasa. Vipingo Ridge members were also in attendance, along with a group of golfers from Uganda, many of whom were experiencing Vipingo Ridge for the first time.

Images courtesy of the Uganda Festival Instagram.

Culture and Sports Tourism between Uganda and the Kenyan Coast

Following a wonderful evening, on Saturday 20th April, 84 golfers took to the PGA Baobab Course for the inaugural Kilifi - Uganda Open.

The Kilifi side, members of Vipingo Ridge and Malindi Golf Club (and with members from Diani Golf Clubs), wearing white, competed against Uganda (‘the visitors’ including Nyali Golf Club and Mombasa Golf Club from Mombasa County), wearing black, red and yellow to celebrate the colours of the Ugandan flag.

Images courtesy of Kilifi County Facebook page and golf.score_ke Instagram.

The Winners of the Kilifi Uganda Open

An 18-hole Stableford competition with 4-ball flights took place, featuring a grand prize of a locally crafted giraffe sculpture. Giraffes are an iconic symbol of the PGA Baobab Course, with our three rescue giraffes often roaming the course.

The Saturday conditions were a little windy, but the course appeared lush after the recent rains. No giraffe were seen, but zebra and oryx were noted by the golfers. No round is ever the same at Vipingo Ridge.

The event Host His Excellency Gideon Maitha Mung'aro, OGW Governor Kilifi County watched players coming in on the 18th from the iconic Clubhouse rooftop before heading to the Sundowner to preside over lunch and the prize-giving. His was joined by a number dignitaries, including Ambassador Paul Mukumbya, Consul General of Uganda to Mombasa. The lunch event, during which the Vipingo Ridge Golf Committee announced the results, received support from the event sponsors.

Kilifi County were the lead sponsor of the Kilifi Uganda Open, with supporting sponsorship from East African Breweries, Uganda Airlines (who donated return business class flights from Kenya to Uganda), Kenyan Tourism Board and Vipingo Ridge.

Successful Sports Tourism Event

The Uganda Festival was held under the theme of “leveraging culture and golf to promote tourism, trade and investment between Uganda and Kenya Coast”.

From the visiting golfers to Vipingo Ridge, to the experience of Uganda for the audience of the Cultural Performance, organisers from the Ugandan Consulate in Mombasa, Kilifi County, Kwale County and Mombasa County certainly showcased their complimentary tourism products and strengthened the partnership between Uganda and Kenya.

Would you like to play the PGA Baobab Course? Check out the Golf Packages we have available or the event coming up that you may be able to join: