The third edition of Kampala Writes Lit Fest, an annual literary festival held at the Uganda National Cultural Centre in Kampala from 28 to 30 August 2026 under the theme "Where Stories Begin," brought together literature enthusiasts, publishers, and authors from across the region. eKitabu was an official partner for the festival, bringing a strong presence of Kenyan authors to the Ugandan market, expanding distribution networks, and fostering regional creative collaborations.

Curated by the novelist Goretti Khomuhendo in partnership with Goethe-Zentrum Uganda, with the event organisers and Chika Unigwe, a novelist and professor of creative writing, as the keynote guest. This literary fest was ideal for all literature enthusiasts as it provided lucrative interaction sessions and books for all involved. 

Our featured authors—Betty Kilonzo, Deborah Tendo, and Donica Merhazion—represented eKitabu across key festival activities, panels, and community engagements. On Saturday, 29 August, Tendo featured on the main festival panel "Reimagining the Planet" at the National. Donica Merhazion was featured on the  book talk, stages and Born at the end of the world that highlighted her writing journey. Betty Kilonzo's panel, "Can Machines Imagine? Creativity in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," closed the festival with a vibrant spoken word poetry performance.

eKitabu and its imprint, Mvua Press, also facilitated a dedicated writers' workshop during the festival, engaging directly with emerging Ugandan writers aspiring to publish their works. Following the workshop, Mvua Press issued a call for manuscripts to support and publish regional talent. In addition, eKitabu hosted an exclusive publisher reception and cocktail party at Onomo Hotel, connecting festival guests, authors, and industry leaders to discuss the future of African publishing.

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