Cultural Heritage

Over a century of tradition — celebrating Ugandan identity through Music, Drama, and Dance.

Our Cultural Identity

Rooted in Tradition

Culture at Namilyango is not an afterthought — it is woven into the very fabric of college life. Founded by the Mill Hill Missionaries in 1902, Namilyango has always embraced both its Catholic heritage and the rich tapestry of Ugandan culture. From the Runyege dance of Western Uganda to the royal rhythms of Buganda, our students carry forward a living tradition.

The annual Music, Drama and Dance (MDD) festival — held every Term Two — is the highlight of the cultural calendar. Inter-house competition is fierce, creative, and deeply meaningful. Every boy has a role to play: as a performer, a backstage crew member, or an enthusiastic audience member. In 2026, McKee House were crowned champions.

Students performing at the MDD Festival Annual MDD Festival
Inter-House MDD 2026

McKee House — 2026 MDD Champions

2026 Champions · McKee House

McKee House claimed the 2026 Inter-House MDD title with an outstanding 523 points across all seven items, edging Mukasa House by just 3 points in one of the closest competitions in recent memory.

1st Place — McKee House · MDD Champions 2026
2nd Place — Mukasa House · Runners-Up 2026
3rd Place — Kiwanuka House · Third Place 2026
MDD 2026 main performance
MDD 2026 performance
MDD 2026 backstage
Official Results

Inter-House MDD 2026

6th & 7th March 2026 — Namilyango College

🥈
2nd Place
Mukasa
520 pts
🏆
1st Place
McKee
523 pts
🥉
3rd Place
Kiwanuka
489 pts
McKee
Mukasa
Kiwanuka
Charles Lwanga
Billington
Campling
Doyle
Kuipers
Reesinck
Hanlon
Biermans
Hewston
Set Piece 91 70 81 81 75 66 65 53 60 61 60 65
Poem 74 79 69 64 65 52 78 51 60 55 46 44
Play 62 60 62 85 82 71 59 60 60 77 75 58
Orig. Com 79 72 63 57 61 69 63 57 58 59 58 61
Cont. Dance 80 75 79 75 78 75 64 80 75 55 70 60
Trad. Dance 56 75 69 66 63 55 56 64 46 58 49 61
Mime 81 89 66 57 60 67 55 63 69 55 61 69
Total 523 520 489 485 484 455 440 428 428 420 419 418
Position 1st 🏆 2nd 🥈 3rd 🥉 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 8th 9th 10th 11th
MDD 2026 · Honours Night

Outstanding Performers

Recognising the boys whose talent, dedication and artistry shone brightest at the 2026 Inter-House MDD Festival.

McKee House celebrate winning MDD 2026
MDD 2026 Champions — McKee House

Champions Crowned

McKee House erupts in celebration after being announced Inter-House MDD 2026 Champions — 523 points

🏆
Category Awards
Best Set Piece — MDD 2026 🥇 Set Piece

MDD 2026 · Best Category

Best Set Piece

McKee House · 91 pts

Dressed in full Namilyango College uniform, the National Anthem was delivered with discipline, harmony and precision.

Best Poem — MDD 2026 🥇 Poem

MDD 2026 · Best Category

Best Poem

Mukasa House · 79 pts

Commanding verse speaking — rhythm, gesture and articulation that brought the written word to life on stage.

Best Play — MDD 2026 🥇 Play

MDD 2026 · Best Category

Best Play

Charles Lwanga House · 85 pts

Powerful dialogue and a story that resonated deeply with every parent, student and adjudicator in the tent.

Best Original Composition — MDD 2026 🥇 Original Composition

MDD 2026 · Best Category

Best Original Composition

McKee House · 79 pts

A richly woven narrative rooted in Uganda's oral tradition, performed with clay pots, gourds and authentic village costumes.

Best Contemporary Dance — MDD 2026 🥇 Contemporary Dance

MDD 2026 · Best Category

Best Contemporary Dance

McKee & Kuipers Houses · 80 pts (tied)

Synchronised choreography in vibrant robes that drew the loudest audience applause of the evening.

Best Traditional Dance — MDD 2026 🥇 Traditional Dance

MDD 2026 · Best Category

Best Traditional Dance

Mukasa House · 75 pts

A masterclass in ancestral rhythm — body paint, precision movement and commanding stage presence.

Best Mime — MDD 2026 🥇 Mime

MDD 2026 · Best Category

Best Mime

Mukasa House · 89 pts

Storytelling without a single word — expression, timing and control that captivated the entire audience.

Mukasa House with their trophy — MDD 2026 Runners-Up 🥈 Runners-Up

MDD 2026 · 2nd Place

Mukasa House — Runners-Up

Mukasa House · 520 pts

A razor-thin margin of just 3 points separated first and second — Mukasa push McKee all the way in the closest finish in recent memory.

Inter-House Competition

The Houses of Namilyango

Each house channels its unique identity and brotherhood into the MDD competition — building pride, teamwork and lasting memories. Every supervisor listed is the current house patron.

1st — McKee House MDD Champions 2026
2nd — Mukasa House Runners-Up 2026
3rd — Kiwanuka House Third Place 2026

Biermans

Hasahya Titus

Billington

Nantongo Juliet

Campling

Kirabo Justine

Charles Lwanga

Andruale Awuzu Bernard

Doyle

Patrick Kanaabi

Hanlon

Ngabirano Penninah

Heweston

Achoroi Patrick

3rd

Kiwanuka

Bainomugisha Julius

3rd Place — MDD 2026

Kuipers

Ssendiwala Geoffrey

1st

McKee

Serubiri Adrian

MDD Champions 2026 🏆

2nd

Mukasa

Kuteesa Alice Hasahya

Runners-Up — MDD 2026

Reensich

Bumanywa Alex

Preserving Our Roots

Traditional Arts at Namilyango

Beyond the MDD festival, Namilyango students engage with Uganda's rich artistic heritage throughout the year.

Traditional dance performance at Namilyango MDD

Traditional Dance

Students learn and perform traditional dances from across Uganda — the Runyege of Toro, the Bwola of Acholi and the Bakisimba of Buganda. These dances carry history, story and identity.

Set piece performance — students in full Namilyango College uniform

Set Pieces

The set piece is the compulsory choral item every house must perform. In 2026 the National Anthem was the set piece — sung by each house in full Namilyango College uniform, judged on discipline, harmony and precision.

Drama performance at Namilyango MDD

Drama & Theatre

The drama tradition at Namilyango stretches back decades. Original scripts, Shakespeare adaptations and contemporary African plays are all part of the repertoire that takes to the stage each year.

Cultural Calendar 2026

Cultural Events

No upcoming cultural events scheduled at this time.
Check back soon or visit the events page for the full calendar.

About MDD

Music Drama and Dance (MDD) is an annual inter-secondary school competition organised by the Ministry of Education. Namilyango consistently places among Uganda's top performing schools.

MDD 2026 Results
  • 🥇 1st — McKee House
  • 🥈 2nd — Mukasa House
  • 🥉 3rd — Kiwanuka House
Full Events Calendar
Cultural Moments

In Pictures

🏆 2026 Rankings