Koffi Olomide will headline a live concert in Gulu City on Friday, October 9, 2026, with Bell Lager signing on as lead premium sponsor. The event takes a major international act beyond Kampala. Open Mic Uganda is organising the show at the Northern Pearl Hotel Garden along Gulu-Kitgum Road.
Gates open at 2 p.m. The programme runs until 4 a.m. on Saturday, October 10: more than 14 hours of music, landing squarely on Uganda's Independence Day holiday weekend.
A Headliner Comes North
Olomide ranks among the prominent figures in Congolese rumba and soukous. His catalogue includes "Loi," "Effrakata," "Papa Bonheur," "Tcha Tcho" and "Selfie." Organisers say audiences can see him perform some of his best-known songs alongside musicians and dancers.
He won't take the stage alone. Ugandan artists joining him include dancehall singer Cindy, Eezzy, Batman, Jelly G and Lucky David. Comedian Patrick Salvado will host.
The concert is expected to draw people from Gulu and neighbouring districts, along with visitors travelling to Northern Uganda for the holiday. It's part of a growing number of major music events outside Kampala, giving audiences elsewhere in the country access to international and local performers.
The Sponsor's Pitch
The show is part of Obafest, Bell Lager's beer festival platform, which combines music, food and entertainment. This edition brings the festival experience to Northern Uganda for the first time in this form, with Olomide at the top of the bill.
Lilian Kansiime, Brand Manager for Bell Lager, said the sponsorship supports music and cultural events across the country. "As Uganda's very own beer, Bell Lager celebrates culture, social connection and the arts. Bell Obafest is a celebration of how Ugandans come together to enjoy music, beer and food," Kansiime said.
She said bringing the event to Gulu would give audiences in Northern Uganda a chance to take part. "By bringing the experience to Gulu in partnership with the Koffi Olomide concert, we are giving consumers in Gulu an opportunity to be part of that celebration," she said.
Kansiime added that the partnership reflected the brand's continued support for live music and the creative arts. "The partnership for the Koffi Olomide concert in Gulu reflects our commitment to bringing premium music experiences to consumers. We are proud to support Open Mic Uganda in delivering an international performance of this scale alongside the Ugandan artists who will share the stage," she said.
Who Pays, Who Gains
Kansiime's own words make the sponsorship model plain: the company calls those attending "consumers," and the festival centres on beer, music and food. Corporate money makes a show of this scale possible outside the capital. The announcement doesn't say what ticket prices will be or whether local vendors, workers or Gulu-based performers will share in proceeds beyond the Ugandan artists named on the bill.
Why This Matters:
Live culture has long been concentrated in the capital. A concert of this size in Gulu signals that audiences in the north can be served too. That's a real gain for a region whose residents often travel far for big events. But the arrangement also shows how much of Uganda's public cultural life now depends on alcohol-brand sponsorship rather than public investment in the arts. The announcement doesn't say whether benefits will reach local businesses, workers or community arts groups, or how ticket costs will affect access. Those answers will determine whether this is a one-night spectacle or a lasting expansion of cultural opportunity beyond Kampala.