Kabalega Business & Innovation Expo 2025 – Where Culture Met Commerce
Hoima City, October 2–4, 2025
Hoima City, October 2–4, 2025 — Over three vibrant days, the Kabalega Business & Innovation Expo 2025 turned the Rukurato Grounds into a dynamic hub of culture, enterprise, and community spirit. Held as a flagship event of the Kabalega Independence Week, the expo brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, artisans, and institutions from across Uganda to celebrate what happens when heritage meets forward-thinking ideas.
Organized by Kabalega Foundation in collaboration with Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, this year’s expo wasn’t just about buying and selling—it was about vision, empowerment, and redefining what development looks like at the grassroots.
From the early morning each day, the grounds were alive with movement. Youth startups set up booths showcasing affordable tech solutions for farming, education, and small business—many built using locally sourced materials and driven by practical problem-solving. Traditional artisans presented woven fabrics, wood carvings, herbal products, and cultural crafts, offering attendees the chance to take home a piece of their own story.
Energy, Tech & Sustainability Take the Spotlight
A key highlight was the strong presence of sustainable energy and climate-smart innovations, led by Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC). Under UECCC’s support, enterprises like U-Gas, Shell Gas, Stabex, and Startimes Solar showcased clean cooking technologies, solar energy solutions, and carbon credit trade opportunities. These enterprises not only offered practical alternatives to traditional fuels, but also educated attendees on how clean energy can earn households and businesses real income through carbon trading.
Roke Telkom kept the digital gears turning by providing free high-speed internet throughout the venue—ensuring smooth operations for exhibitors and allowing visitors to engage, connect, and share their experiences in real time.
And it wasn’t just tech doing the talking. Bwendero Events set the cultural atmosphere on fire with nonstop amplified traditional music and performances, creating a rhythmic heartbeat that tied together the entire expo experience.
Institutions, Banks & Social Enterprises
Large institutions played a pivotal role. Roofings Uganda not only sponsored, but also displayed eco-friendly construction solutions; Centenary Bank as sponsors also provided financial literacy and SME support; UBOS (Uganda Bureau of Statistics) engaged the public on the importance of data; and URSB and NIRA offered on-site services like national ID issuance and business registration—making formalization more accessible than ever.
Meanwhile, the Twekonyere Foundation’s reusable Glow Sanitary Pads reminded everyone that innovation is not just high-tech—it’s also socially conscious. Youth entrepreneurs brought life to the expo with upcycled fashion, jewelry, and décor. Jibu Water kept everyone hydrated while promoting environmental responsibility, and Equity Bank conducted workshops for young innovators on smart money management.
Civic Engagement & Media Amplification
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, a key sponsor of Kabalega Independence Week 2025, and a long-time partner in democracy and civic education provided support for policy engagement platforms at the expo—bridging cultural leadership with developmental dialogue.
Media coverage was widespread. Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), NTV, Capital FM, Spice FM, and various local outlets were on-site profiling businesses, interviewing innovators, and broadcasting the energy of the event far beyond Hoima. The visibility they provided amplified voices that are often underrepresented in mainstream platforms.
Food, Hospitality & Nourishment
Expo-goers didn’t go hungry. HB Hotel and Hoima Resort Hotel curated delicious local dishes at subsidized prices, supporting both accessibility and the local food industry. Royal Milk and other nutrition brands ensured attendees—especially children and seniors—were well-nourished with free samples and affordable nutrition packs.
A Climactic Finish: The Kabalega Independence Run
The final day, October 4, coincided with the highly anticipated Kabalega Independence Run 2025, which kicked off from the same venue. Drawing in crowds from across the region, the run featured a 2km family walk, 5km fun run, and a 10km race through the streets of Hoima City. The turnout boosted the expo’s numbers, transforming the grounds into a pulsating sea of curiosity on what’s on display, unity and celebration.
After the run, participants flooded into the expo for the final day, creating a seamless blend of wellness, commerce, and cultural pride—an embodiment of the week’s core theme: transformation through community.
More Than a Market
By the close of day, the inaugural Kabalega Business & Innovation Expo (2025) had cemented itself as more than a marketplace. It became a living model of transformation—where grassroots ideas met institutional muscle, where clean energy and local innovations stood side by side with music, food, and regalia, and where youth, elders, entrepreneurs, and leaders connected as equals.
Whether it was through technology, heritage, health, or human connection, the message was clear: culture and commerce can walk side by side—not just to honor the past, but to shape a bold, inclusive, and empowered future for all.
