Simba Omuti Music Festival 2025 launched to promote tree planting

5 December 2025, 10:24 pm

By Ronald Ssemagonja

Doctor Dennis Daniel Ssemugenyi, together with Abbey Musinguzi, commonly known as Abitex, has officially launched the Simba Omuti Music Festival 2025 under the theme, “Plant a Tree, Save Nature.” The festival is scheduled to take place at Millennium Park in Kampala.

Speaking to journalists at the launch organized by Abitex Promotions, Dr. Ssemugenyi explained the inspiration behind the festival, emphasizing its focus on environmental preservation.

“I came up with this initiative, the first of its kind in Uganda, because according to the National Forestry Authority (NFA), Uganda loses 200,000 hectares of forest every year. Today marks the beginning of national awareness. The Simba Omuti initiative aims to restore our forests. Every Ugandan should plant a tree on their birthday, with the number of trees corresponding to the age they are celebrating,” he said.

Dr. Ssemugenyi is also the founder of the Every Birthday Tree Day Initiative (EBTDI), which will take place on Saturday, 20 December 2025, in conjunction with the festival. Attendees will be encouraged to plant trees to safeguard the future. On the same day, Dr. Ssemugenyi will launch his book, “Planting a Legacy: The EBTDI Guide,” which details why Ugandans should embrace a culture of tree planting.

The festival aims to combine environmental action, sports, and entertainment, turning every celebration into a step toward a greener and more united Uganda. Dr. Ssemugenyi called upon corporate entities, NGOs, government agencies, artists, and citizens to join the movement and make tree planting a traditional culture of joy, unity, and purpose.

A highlight of the festival will be the EBTDI National Tournament, in which teams will be formed based on birth months for example, January-borns will compete against February-borns, and so on. About UGX 360 million is expected to be awarded to winners. Dr. Ssemugenyi explained: “Every ticket plants a tree. Every book grows a mind. Every event builds a nation.”

Abitex Musinguzi encouraged the public to attend, promising a unique festival experience with performances by top artists including Pastor Wilson Bugembe, Winnie Nwagi, Cindy Sanyu, Carol Kasiita, Pallaso, and Spice Diana. He confirmed that security measures would be robust and that ticket prices range from UGX 20,000 for ordinary tickets to UGX 100,000 for VVIP tickets, with a table of six available for UGX 1 million.

Dr. Ssemugenyi also revealed that proceeds from the festival will support initiatives such as scholarships and tree planting programs, giving back to the community.