The MTV Africa Music Awards are Back! Uganda Shall Be The Host in 2021

MTV Africa has officially confirmed that Uganda will be hosting the 2021 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) in February 2021.

This is to be the very first time the Pearl of Africa is going to host the awards.


The official invite-only launch event was held on Wednesday, 25th November 2020 and was graced by several top artists including; Sheebah Karungi, John Blaq, Daddy Andre and Bebe Cool among others.


It was at this launch when MTV Africa answered the question “What is the M?” after weeks of the mysterious ‘M’ which was placed on the Independence Monument in October.


Many thought the big 'M' was political and represented 'Museveni', the current president who is also currently vying for the 6th term in office, others thought it meant 'Mu Struggle', another political phrase used by opposition politicians to mean efforts to unseat the current government.

However, these were all untrue, the actual meaning of the letter M was a message that the MAMAs (MTV Africa Music Awards) are heading to Uganda.

The State Minister for Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda welcomed the awards ceremony saying "This is Africa’s best moment as we showcase the Pearl of Africa. Welcome MAMAs to the Pearl of Africa! Welcome MAMAs to Uganda!"

The MAMAs have been a no show for several years with the last edition held in 2016 in South Africa.

Despite the fact that the Ugandan government had approved the bid to have the prestigious awards hosted in Uganda in August 2019, the awards did not happen.
Many thought that they would be held in 2020 but the outbreak of the global Coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 dashed these hopes.

Through social media, MTV Africa confirmed that the awards will happen in Kampala, Uganda on 20th February 2021.

“It’s official! Africa’s biggest celebration of music is heading to Uganda. The #MTVMAMA takes place in Kampala on the 20th of February 2021,” MTV revealed on Twitter.


Details about the nominees, venue among other arrangements are yet to be communicated.


Fast Facts about the MAMA awards
The MAMA awards were established in 2008 by MTV Networks Africa to celebrate African music. They lasted six editions with South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya hosting the awards thrice, twice, and once respectively.

In 2017 the popular awards weren’t held and Alex Okosi, Executive Vice President of Viacom International Media Network Africa, said that the company was working to re-invent them to create a deeper music experience for the 2018 edition. In 2018, they were a no show as well.

One of the most exciting editions of the MAMA awards happened in 2015 at a ceremony that was held at the Durban International Convention Centre, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on July 18th in commemoration of Nelson Mandela’s birthday.

Jose Chameleone, one of Uganda's popular artists was pitted against the likes of Samini, Asa, Black Coffee, 2Face Idibia, Anselmo Ralph, Fally Ipupa, HHP, and D’Banj -who won the award, in the MAMA Evolution Award category

The following year, 2016, the awards were a shadow of their former self with less publicity towards the main event. The nominations and eventual winners as well were not convincing enough for several music fans and critics.

That was the last year the awards were held and despite a negative reception generally, Uganda went ahead to prove that its entertainment industry was improving as Eddy Kenzo, Sheebah Karungi and Bebe Cool achieved nominations.

The expectations are that the awards act as a platform to showcase what Uganda, as a nation, possesses in terms of Arts, Film and Tourism.

Below is an image of the 2016 trophy. It may be tweaked to look differrent from this, in the next edition of the awards.


From Uganda to Africa, you are all welcome!

#Awards