TV presenter Faridah Nakazibwe has said the Greater Masaka Fete was her first event to organise, and she won’t let her dream die despite not meeting expectations on the first attempt. Nakazibwe came up with the idea of the festival to bring together people from Greater Masaka as well as collect resources to improve sanitation facilities in Masaka city.
Greater Masaka encompasses districts of Masaka, Kalangala, Kalungu, Lyantonde, Kyotera Bukomansimbi, Rakai and Sembabule, where Nakazibwe hails from. Her maiden event was held at Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala this past Saturday but the numbers weren’t as high as she expected.
“I’m not yet sure, but, of course, the weather could be a contributor, but we’ve seen events that happened even with the bad weather… It could have been other events, I don’t know. I’m not yet sure where exactly the issue was,” she told NTV Uganda during an interview shortly after the event.
But I know the few that came, came with a lot of love,… it came from their heart. Either because of their love for Masaka or their love for Faridah. The few that have come, I appreciate them a lot,” the soft-spoken TV host said.
“[Those that didn’t come] could have been busy. You know Saturday is a working day for some people, so they could have been caught up with work, and it rained a bit, and other events that happened.”
One of the biggest events her event coincided with is the Nyege Nyege festival though some observers have argued that the two events targeted different audiences.
Nevertheless, Nakazibwe said that she is optimistic about the future.
A special thank you to everyone who supported the #GreaterMasakaFete. We did our best and acknowledge that the start is never smooth. Thank you to our sponsors, service providers, artists, organising team and attendees who believe in the initiative. I am proud of you all. pic.twitter.com/8V7BuMt0RZ
— Faridah Nakazibwe (@fsnakazibwe) September 18, 2022
“For me, it was an amazing experience. I had never organised an event, not even my wedding [laughs]… But holding an event at [Lugogo] Cricket Oval; it could have been a big venue, but I looked at people from the Masaka community to be many, it’s a huge community, so the venue may not be so much of a problem. But I feel good that the chief guests came,” she said.
“I call upon all people from Masaka, I won’t give up because it is a dream and a dream has been pushed.”
One of her biggest supporters was her mother who came all the way from Sembabule.
“I told her and she was like, that is a beautiful [idea], I’ll support you. She has been praying for me. She told me some days she would fast [and she has been following up to see how I’m progressing,]” Nakazibwe spoke of her mother.
Meanwhile, the next fete will be at the Masaka Recreation Centre on September 24.
