More than 80 Anglican Churches from Eastern Africa are in Mombasa for the annual International Hymn Festival (IHF), from October 29, and running for four days.
The event, being held at Mombasa Memorial Cathedral Anglican Church, has attracted churches from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan.
“We are ready to give it our best while welcoming all participants here at an event that has always promised our Anglican churches the right to compete in Christian music in the Eastern Africa region for the past decade,” said International Hymn Festivals Director Dan Madalanga.
The theme of this year’s convention is “God dwells in the Praises of His People”.
Kenya will be represented by more than 45 churches, Uganda at least 20, Tanzania six and Sudan one in All Saints – Juba.
They’ll compete in music set from hymn books and anthems, own arrangements and chants (An arrangement between singing and speaking).
Music Director at the ACK Cathedral Church of Good Shepherd in Nakuru city, and ACK Emmanuel Teachers Parish, Mr Philemon Ogolla, said his two choirs were ready for the big show.
“We have no reason to be ready. We have come here for serious business and with a mission to participate in all three categories of the event,” he said.
“We have been training for six months and are ready to give an effective competition and our best to participants in this forum,” Ogolla boasted.
The defending champions, Martyrs Church Choir, Katwe of Uganda, are also in attendance.
Last year, the event was held in Lira, Uganda and in 2023 in Dodoma, Tanzania, where many Kenyan churches honoured the invitation.
Some of the churches taking part in this year’s festivals from Nakuru county are Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd in Nakuru City, St Emmanuel Teachers Choir, All Saints Naivasha.
Also in attendance are ACK St Stephen’s Church Choir, Jogoo Road, which is regarded as a Kenyan giant in the Christian music industry, in the class of St Joseph’s Catholic Church Choir in Migori or Arusha Town Choir in Tanzania.
Other churches from Kenyan towns are from Kitale and Mumias Parishes, while others are from the coastal counties.
Some of the prominent choirs from Tanzania that are in these festivals are Dodoma Cathedral Church Choir and two more from Tanga.
Those from Uganda are from the towns of Mbale, Jinja and Kampala.