It was the drone camera hovering over the crowd when the CEO of Vision Group announced that Makoma were ready to hit the stage. Don Wanyama left the stage at exactly 9:54 pm, and at 10:02 pm Makoma’s dancers appeared in what seemed like a grand entrance. They gave the audience a brief glimpse of a performance and then disappeared again.
The crowd slowly began chanting, “Makoma… Makoma….” Their eventual appearance felt almost like that of the dead man known as The Undertaker—sudden and unexpected. No one realized they were already on stage. It was a complete surprise.
The suspense grew so intense that some revellers even considered leaving. A few adverts were played as the crowd waited.
Finally, at 10:13 pm, an emcee appeared with an apology.
“We apologize for this glitch. Mulokole tokayana,” he said.
Even then, the wait continued for several more minutes.
At exactly 10:30 pm, the dancers returned with a lively performance like never before. Dressed in baggy T-shirts with large numbers on the back, the artists’ entrance was magical. The lead singer, Natalie, was exceptional. She made the crowd cheer at the top of their voices.
Makoma had gone 25 years without performing in Uganda, yet the audience welcomed them with unmatched excitement. Although many Ugandans seemed unfamiliar with the lyrics of some songs, the crowd still sang along enthusiastically.
Even their pauses between songs felt lively. The group shared a brief message of peace: despite different colors, we are one people, and everything will be alright.
One of the most popular songs of the night was “Napisiyo,” which means “I give you my heart.” Although the sound equipment faltered slightly at times, Makoma continued to entertain the revelers with great professionalism.
Among the performers, Natalie stood out with an electrifying performance. Her energy and dance moves were game-changing. At times, she also paused to share short sermons with the audience.
“God loves you all. Don’t you ever give up,” Natalie said, dressed in a shining gold outfit with a long, light-brown curly wig.
At 11:09 pm, the group briefly left the stage to change costumes. Indeed, Makoma proved themselves to be among the most gifted and talented gospel artists on the African continent.
By 11:30 pm, they returned with even more energy. This time they wore black shining jackets, tight pants, and black wigs, while their dancers appeared in oversized white T-shirts. At one point, Natalie stepped down from the stage to sing with fans, causing a brief commotion that was quickly brought under control.
It was clear that Makoma are professional artists and world-class performers. Throughout the night, they continued changing costumes. At one point, Natalie appeared in a silk-like dress with large pointed shoulders. She shared a personal testimony about losing her faith and how the church she once attended had rejected her.
“I’m the future and the hope. God opened my mind, and today I’m here,” she said.
“You want life and money—you can get it,” she added.
Each song they performed felt like the grand finale, yet they always had more to offer. “Natamboli” had everyone dancing wildly, but the excitement did not stop there. When “Napisiyo” returned again, the audience wanted even more.
Makoma finally ended their performance at 12:20 am.
