Media personality and entrepreneur Sheila Gashumba, known widely by her stage name Lil Stunner, will join the lineup of performers and speakers at this year’s Bayimba Festival of the Arts, organizers announced.
Gashumba is set to lead a session focused on music policy, where she will engage fellow creatives and industry stakeholders in a discussion covering the regulations, opportunities and challenges currently shaping Uganda’s music sector.
The session forms part of CREATE, an initiative built around sharpening skills and expanding financial inclusion for young women working in the creative economy. Festival organizers said the discussion is designed to give emerging artists, talent managers and other creative professionals a clearer picture of the business and policy landscape surrounding the music industry.
Bayimba, now marking its 18th edition, has built a reputation over nearly two decades as one of East Africa’s leading platforms for artists working across music, dance, theater, film and visual art. The festival draws performers from Uganda and beyond, alongside industry professionals looking to network and build skills.
By pairing performance with policy conversation, organizers say the CREATE program aims to equip young women in particular with the practical knowledge needed to navigate an industry where opportunity and structure do not always move at the same pace.
Gashumba, a familiar face in Ugandan media and entertainment, has spent years building a public profile that spans broadcasting, brand partnerships and entrepreneurship. Her participation adds a recognizable voice to a conversation organizers hope will resonate with artists still finding their footing in the business side of music.
Further details on the festival’s full program and schedule are expected to be released by organizers closer to the event.
