The City of Kigali has announced plans to host a major cultural concert during this year’s Umuganura celebrations, assuring residents of a lively summer season marked by entertainment and cultural performances.
The concert is scheduled for August 7, 2026, and will take place at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) grounds.
City spokesperson Emma Claudine Ntirenganya said the event will be one of the highlights of this year’s celebrations, describing it as a large-scale cultural showcase featuring prominent traditional artists expected to perform into the evening.
She said the concert has been designed to offer a bigger and more engaging experience than previous editions, bringing together some of the country’s leading performers in traditional music and cultural expression.
Ntirenganya also confirmed that, unlike in previous years, this year’s Umuganura concert will be a paid event, marking a shift from the usual free-entry format.
Umuganura is a traditional Rwandan harvest celebration that brings people together to give thanks for the year’s agricultural season, share food, and celebrate national unity and progress. It is traditionally observed on the first Friday of August.
The celebration dates back to the reign of Gihanga Ngomijana in the 9th century and was later revived under King Ruganzu II Ndoli in the 16th century after a period in which key cultural practices had been disrupted.
