The Swahili Esports Champions 2026 concluded this weekend in Kampala, Uganda, bringing together players, esports leaders, and institutional representatives from eight East African countries for a regional event dedicated to women’s esports and ecosystem development.

Organized during the DiGiArT FesT, the event gathered delegations from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, combining a women’s esports championship with institutional and professional exchanges aimed at strengthening cooperation across the regional esports ecosystem.

The opening ceremony was attended by Janyce Obrecht, First Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Uganda, representing Virginie Leroy, French Ambassador to Uganda.

Ambassador Leroy joined the event on the second day to follow the competition and took part in the medal ceremony and closing session, highlighting France’s continued support for initiatives promoting youth, digital creativity, and gender equality in East Africa. The initiative is supported by the Création Africa program, led by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

The event also welcomed His Lordship Ronald Balimwezo, Lord Mayor Elect of Kampala, and Quraish Jjumba from the Ministry of Education and Sports, alongside key stakeholders from the regional gaming and esports ecosystem.

Women's Tekken Championship

At the heart of the event, the Swahili Esports Champions women’s Tekken tournament showcased the best female players from across the region. All eight players were awarded prize money in recognition of their participation and performance during the competition.

1. Nioh – Andriantsiva Ny Avo Harinosy Rakotondrafara (Madagascar) — $1,000
2. Bambina – Magdaline Mumbi Njeri (Kenya) — $500
3. Lalu – Gebremariam Kalkidan Haile (Ethiopia) — $300
4. TimaX – Faduma Abukar Mohamed (Somalia) — $200
5. Maria – Maria Met Nyadin (South Sudan) — $150
6. Coco_Felon – Zoie Mugumya (Uganda) — $150
7. MayaTheDestroyer – Soumeya Abdillahi Moussa (Djibouti) — $100
8. JazFury – Jasmin Harun Ruvu (Tanzania) — $100

The competition highlighted the growing level of women’s esports in East Africa and confirmed the importance of creating platforms that support visibility, talent development, and regional exchange for women players.

International esports icon Marie-Laure “Kayane” Norindr, professional player and content creator, attended the event to support the competitors and share her experience with the next generation of African esports talent.

The competition also benefited from additional international visibility through Kayane’s live broadcast of the competition on Twitch, which reached 4,909 unique viewers during the stream. The broadcast peaked at 363 concurrent viewers, with an average of 287 viewers over more than 3 hours of live coverage, generating nearly 7,000 live views.

The audience reflected the international reach of the event, with viewers connecting from multiple regions including France (69%), Madagascar (6%), Belgium (4%), the United States (3%), Switzerland and Canada (2%), as well as Japan, Réunion, Benin and Germany.

Esports Summit and regional cooperation

Alongside the competition, the event hosted the Esports Summit, bringing together representatives of national esports federations, ecosystem leaders, and institutional stakeholders to discuss the development of esports across East Africa.

Participants explored opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation, including capacity building initiatives, support for players and tournament organisers, and the development of a structured regional competitive pathway.

• Official representatives present:

A dedicated workshop gathered official representatives of national esports organisations from across the region:

1. Mr. Daher Eleyeh Il Tireh – President, Djibouti Esports (Djibouti)
2. Mr. Yared Endale Yerdaw – President, Ethiopian Games Association (EGA) (Ethiopia)
3. Mr. Ronny Ayumba Lusigi – President, Esports Kenya Federation (Kenya)
4. Mr. Fenosoa Abraham Rajaomazava – President, Tekken Madagascar (Madagascar)
5. Mr. Said Abdullahi Mohamud – President, Electronic Somali Sports Federation (Somalia)
6. Mr. Tong Deng Anei – President, South Sudan’s Federation of Electronic Sports (South Sudan)
7. Mr. Robert James Mwampembwa – Vice-President, Esport Federation of Tanzania (Tanzania)
8. Mr. Bonny Omara – General Secretary, Uganda Esport and Gaming Federation (Uganda)


• Special Guest:
• Mr. Brian Diang’a – African esports and video games ambassador, Esports Talent (Kenya)

A collective effort to develop esports in East Africa

The organisers would like to warmly thank all the partners and institutions who contributed to the success of this second edition.

The initiative benefits from the support of Team France, through the engagement of the Embassy of France in Uganda, and the Alliance Française Kampala, supporting esports as an emerging cultural and creative sector and a driver of inclusion and professional opportunities for young women. The event was hosted by DiGiArT FesT, one of Uganda’s leading digital culture festivals, and supported by local ecosystem partners including:

• Arudem, responsible for video production and audiovisual coverage of the championship
• Gamer Girls Uganda, mobilising the local esports community and promoting women’s participation in gaming

The organisers would also like to extend their sincere thanks to Esports Africa News, one of the leading esports media outlets on the African continent, for its active participation in the event’s animation and media coverage.

• Mr. Laurean Ntaate, Founder & CEO, DiGiArT FesT
• Mr. Ivan Kibuuka, Founder & CEO, Arudem
• Ms. Faith Dorothy Ahurira, Founder, Gamer Girls Uganda
• Ms. Kenechukwu Anurika Okeke (“Kaseystar”), journalist, Esports Africa News (Nigeria)
• Ms. Marie-Laure “Kayane” Norindr, Professional Player & Content Creator (France)
• Mr. Désiré Koussawo, Founder & President, SAGES Africa

Launched in Nairobi in 2023 by the Institut français network, the Swahili Esports Champions initiative continues to position esports as a tool for cultural cooperation, youth empowerment, and regional dialogue in East Africa.

With its second edition in Kampala, the project confirms its ambition to become a flagship platform supporting the development of women’s esports and regional collaboration across the African continent.