I just concluded what’s been the best 5 days of my April. That’s cuz, finally, I got to live two of my longest travel wishes, which was travelling outside my country of birth and seeing dolphins. This dream realization wouldn’t have come to fruition if not for my ‘mugaga’ (sponsor), MTN Uganda, through its quiz-based campaign, MTN Proggie.”
Related: Trivia to Trips: A Postcard from Sipi Falls Courtesy of MTN Proggie
If you’re an occasional reader of my blog, then you’re no stranger to MTN Proggie. Basically, it’s a quiz-based platform allowing customers to subscribe and participate in daily quizzes testing their knowledge of Uganda’s rich history and destinations. The subscription-based platform offers three tiers: Daily (UGX 500), Weekly (UGX 2,000), and Monthly (UGX 5,000). Once live, players accumulate points for every correct answer. The highest scorers on the leaderboard stand a chance to win exciting rewards, including Ugx 50,000 worth of MTN Mobile Money, gift hampers, branded merchandise, mobile data, concert tickets, and grand travel experiences to Uganda’s most prized destinations. For this quarter, things got a bit more epic, with MTN raising the bar and promising an all-expenses paid trip to Mombasa (Kenya) as the ultimate prize.
For this third MTN Proggie (April), the 2 lucky winners of the Mombasa trip were Musa Badiru and Paul Basaija. Previous winners have been Marvin Johns Ayebare (the very first winner in the campaign and won a trip to Murchison Falls). Alex Tusingwire plus his wife who won a couple’s gate away treat to Sipi Falls in February. For March, MTN blessed 8 of the top participants in the trivia with a daycation to Misoli Beach in Jinja.
Having been contacted the two winners of April’s MTN Proggie, convened at NRG Radio where the flag off was set to happen. This was unlike previous instances where the activity has taken place at the MTN Uganda Headquarters. During the MTN Uganda takeover of the station’s drive show, the Go-to-Market Digital Specialist of MTN Mavis Musungu Ndawula Ndagire shared a few remarks revealed that; “At MTN, we believe that together, we are Unstoppable. We are here to keep you in the know, to give you the chills, the vibes. Our desire is to connect with customers in a different way. MTN Proggie is a web-based quiz product and is mainly to promote our beautiful country, the tourism we have, our culture.”
“It is also to inform you on different things that you may not know. It also promotes how rich our cultures are. So, the quiz is based on what’s around us, our culture, the beauty in Uganda, tourist places’, further stressing that it is better to first tour home, before you can step out elsewhere”, she furthered.
Today we are flagging off our #MTNProggie winners to Mombasa and taking over @nrgradioug studios.
— MTN Uganda (@mtnug) April 9, 2025
Catch us live at @nrgradioug as we take over the airwaves with everything MTN, including how you can become our next MTN Proggie winner. pic.twitter.com/kdc6irQBEE
The winners were interviewed on the radio show and they themselves couldn’t be any more excited for the 5-day voyage ahead.
Remember how I previously mentioned in my previous write up about being “Planned Tourists”, the case wasn’t any different in this trip to Mombasa (Kenya), that’s cuz Musa Kiyengo, the Founder of the tours and travel company (Travelers’ Club) that MTN Uganda organizes these MTN Proggie experiences with ensured all was set and we had a smooth trip despite his absence as he had other duties that urgently needed him to be around. So as it approached 5:30Pm, he drove us to the National Theatre as this is where the buses commuting to Kenya park. The decision was to use these buses was reached as a way of avoiding the inconveniences that come with boarding other buses that are largely stationed downtown due to the chaos of that other side of town.
He then handed us our bus tickets and clear briefing regarding what to expect when we reach Kenya. Communication was at the center of it all, as we had to keep in touch with him even while away, sharing updates, making inquiries but then to also coordinate with the various service providers, right from the tour guides, bus stop and train pick up people and those that were to drop us off. So I was handed a sim card, that was loaded with some ka data and airtime as I was the delegated team lead to coordinate both the home and the foreign communication and coordination for the client, their winners as well as the host country.
Having gone through the various travel document checks, we settled in, and the bus set off at 6:30 o’clock in the evening, just as indicated on the travel ticket. I for one promised myself to not blink one bit or even sleep so I can have my eyes wide open at the slight glance of a sign post that screams “Welcome to KENYA” or “KENYA welcomes you, Enjoy your Stay”. Along the way, there was a lot of dozing, waking up, and dozing again. Our bus touched the Uganda- Kenya boarder for a round of travel document verification. At about 1am, we were back on the road. Our bus made a stopover at Nakuru for us the passengers to have a health break, stretch, go to the lavatories, and those who wished to buy snacks or even take some breakfast did so during this time. At the clock of a quarter past 11am, yours truly and the winners had touched down on Nairobi soil.
Our pick up was so spot on with time and communication, in that the minute we got off from the bus in Westlands (Nairobi), he was there waiting for us. We then hoped in for him to take us to the first spot, where we would later have lunch, and then headed for our drop off at the Nairobi SGR Terminus.
Did I mention, the guy looked like Young Filly a bit. Bambi, he had mob jazz, jokes and banter. He was giving big bro vibes. This really came in handy and in an instant, we felt as comfortable as can be, despite being in a new country. Upon reaching SGR, there was a series of high-level security checks on all luggage gwe. This was for all who were to board the train. Even sniffer dogs were involved. Like I said, being planned travelers, we didn’t have to queue up to buy tickets for the train. That’s because Musa the travel agency guy had aligned with our bus pick up person Lukas and these had been purchased prior to our arrival. While in the waiting area, we had made a new friend, who we later nick named “Bamburi” because that’s where her destination was. Luckily, upon boarding, her seat number was next to a colleague (one of the winners). She had “kiboozi” for days (was an amazing conversationalist). We talked a lot, especially about Kenya, and Uganda, their food, and we couldn’t miss a chance to brag about our diverse local cuisine offering that’s made up of matooke, sweet potatoes etc. we talked tourism attractions, education, our liquor and that of her country. Our conversation was so lit, those sitting across (a couple, plus a middle-aged lady of about 42) joined in on our conversation. So the 4 hours plus SGR journey didn’t feel as long, as it was. Bamburi narrated to us a story of how she one time tried to make a homemade Rolex, and things jam to come out bulungi. When we asked her to rate it, she gave herself a struggling 4/10 ka nyabbo. Anyway, at about 8:25 PM, we reached the train’s stopping point.
You know that feeling at the airport, where someone holds a placard having the name or description of who they are here to pick, the lady who was coordinating with me communications from the Kenya side on phone had given me a vivid description of the gentle man that was waiting for us, the winners and I to take us to the hotel which we would call home for the next 2 days. Meanwhile the humidity of Mombasa was finishing us. What in the heat in the air was that??!! Samuel was the name of the gentle man who handled our pick up from SGR Mombasa and took us to the hotel.
Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Frank, who was on duty that evening. Unlike the usual norm where you are given warm towels to clean your hands. We were given cold towels to do so. Must have been cuz of the fact that the place is predominantly hot/ extra warm (humid). Munaye, he went ahead and gave us each glass of orange juice and we were showed to our rooms. That night was Swahili Night, so there some live band music to accompany our meals as we had them by the swimming pool side.
We started off day 2 with breathtaking views by the balcony of the hotel, after which we freshened up and slopped to the reception where the safari van was, awaiting to take us for the escapade that awaited us at the coast. During a debrief the previous day, Juma, the safaris operator who was to take us through the day’s activities had advised that we carry with us swimming artillery, towels, lotion and changing clothes since the day was set to be filled with water activities, from snookering, swimming in the clear oceans, and the most exciting of them all, dolphin sighting. So my short shorts, shades, plain white shirt and crocs were once again in business. Since we were a bit in a rush and behind schedule, our breakfast was packed for us as take away, and off we went. We (at least speaking for myself) were so pumped. The journey to the coast gave us an opportunity to see what Mombasa looks like during the day (the colored and commuter taxis, tukutuku(s), and other aspects that make Mombasa what it is), as we had arrived at night. We were later joined by company of 3 ladies, who were going for a similar marine plan, so they occupied the back seats of van. After a few minutes of silence, we started chatting a bit. They would later share some of their snacks with us. Among these was yoghurt and chaps. The Yoghurt was so yummy, my guys.
We would later loosen up a bit and chat a bit. I have and always will believe in the power of music being a universal language. So, I requested the van operator to play for us the Apple Music Top 100 playlist. This ushered into a seamless bonding session as we sang along to some of the popular hits like Shallipopi’s ‘LAHO’. I also put them on CHE CHE, a hit song by Fyno. After about an hour and a half’s joyous ride, we eventually reached Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park. The famous spot is where travelers/ tourists are set off on dhows to go explore what the coast has got to offer in terms of marine adventure. For the experience of it, the dhows are an average speed boat. They usually carry 10 to 15 people. The woody and artistic boats then transported us to a bigger speedy boat,
Kudos to the boat crew, the journey was smooth. In no time, we reached the middle of the Indian Ocean. Bro, never in my life had I seen such beautiful water, oh my! The water at Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park has this amazing rich deep blue, crystal clear waters. No wonder it’s called Safari blue. The water is very clear, you can see creatures deep down to almost the flows of the ocean. It is very clean and simply mesmerizing. I could just sit and look at this water for days end. Never have I been this much awed by water in my life like at the Marine Park in Wasini.
The best and most guaranteed time for Dolphin sighting is very early morning, but we had come a bit late since we were waiting on the other tourists to come and we set off at once. We had reached the middle of the ocean at about 12PM, having set off at 10am from the coast. The boat docked in a secluded area in the middle of the ocean where the waters are shallow with white sand. While here, we indulged in feel good marine activities such as swimming in the beach stream. Even when you are not a good swimmer, the waters are shallow enough for everyone to experience them. Even 6-year-olds were having a blast in water, of course with their floaters strapped on their backs. Having previously opted to stay on the boat, I made up my mind at once, telling myself, “I didn’t travel all these kilometers here, from Kampala till here, to watch on as everybody indulged in the swimming”, so I placed the phones of the MTN Proggie winners plus mine in a shirt and stacked them with our chest bags, shades and shoes and jumped into the water. I don’t know if I mentioned but the water of the ocean is salty, very salty. So the moment your tongue came in touch with this water you’d experience the salty sensational taste of it. Our other colleagues with whom we had come to the park went and indulged in snorkeling. They described the feeling as beautiful and simply magical. Having been handed snorkeling gear that covers one’s eyes, ensuring breathing continues and floating plastic shoes on, they were then taken to a deeper part of the ocean during the activity. Under there, they get to see beautiful coral reefs, the amazing ocean plantation and the colorful different types of fish. After the swimming and snorkeling, fruits were served to everyone.
One of the members of the marine boat crew communicated to us that the dolphins had been spotted, so our boat had to leave the marine beach and we jetted off to go to the middle area where the dolphins were expected to be swimming from. Was I excited? Excited is an understatement. I have wanted to do this since I was 15. Here I was, getting blessed by nature, to finally see my besties (dolphins) after 12 years of manifesting and waiting.
After about 30 minutes of the boat ride, the dolphins begun rhythmically popping out of the water and diving right back in, and again, and as viewers we were starring in awe, joyfully cheering, “aww”-ing with each dive the dolphins. This feeling was so priceless, man. In that moment, we were all in a frenzy and as jolly as a kid who has seen Santa Claus (Father Christmas). We were in a dreamy mood. The viewing went for about 15 minutes. One thing I noticed about dolphins is that they move in pairs, at least the ones we saw these ends.
Comrades, the dolphins were seen!!
— Just Mugisha 🐘 (@Mugibson) April 14, 2025
🥹🐬💛 Make it a point to subscribe to #MTNProggie at 500 a day 🔗 https://t.co/7fYtvRxOqg, answer questions, accumulate points, to stand a chance to win prizes, including trips to breathtaking experiences like this. 🌴#TogetherWeAreUnstoppable pic.twitter.com/iB70YMNHwr
Mid way our journey, our orders for meals had been taken, so after the dolphin sighting, we then set off for the Wasini mainland where we were to have our lunch at Kaole Restaurant. The meals were comprised of wali wa nazi (rice in coconut), chapati, fish, crab, sea weed, and chicken. Me being me, despite being a foody, I sometimes don’t fancy taking chances on new foods, so when they brought the crab, I had to skip munaye. After lunch, we were taken on a 15-minute tour around the Island and learn more about its history. The island only has footpaths, no cars, carts or bicycles and it is only accessible from the mainland using a boat. The population stands at about 3000 and it’s composed of a Bantu community called Vumba.
What’s a visit to the famous Wasini Island minus taking a swim at Kisite Marine Park? The #MTNProggie winners also snorkeled as well checked out Swahili Seafood Cuisine 🏊🏼🦀 Didn’t want to give my village people a chance so I “skipped AD” on the crab. 😂 #TogetherWeAreUnstoppable pic.twitter.com/msRT5ub1Yb
— Just Mugisha 🐘 (@Mugibson) April 14, 2025
We afterwards got into our boats and sailed back to Shimoni to mark the end of a beautiful day. The ride back seemed shorter surprisingly. Everyone was just in a happy dreamy mood. People couldn’t wait to just get back to their hotels and just sleep off the rest of the evening. There were small conversations all around. You could just feel the general mood was that of happiness and feeling of a day well spent! The return journey was also heralded by a lot of singing traditional cruise songs and drums by the marine crew. They sang, taught us a new song and we joined them in enchanting it. Given a chance, I would re- live this entire marine experience over and over again.
While in the Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park, my colleagues and I tried the coconut (Madafu), but the taste didn’t appeal to my taste buds. Our safari drove us and we hit the road again, but to beat the traffic jam, we used road for a smaller portion of the journey (since we had to drop off the 3 lady friends we had gone with to the island as their drop off was on this other side of the city) , and then we boarded a ferry.
The MTN Proggie winners and I were safely driven to the hotel, where we had meals, and reminisced about the good day it had been. For the rest of the evening, we sat on beach chairs in the gardens outside the hotel, as we faced the white sand beach, and the breeze of the palm trees blew over us. At midnight, we went to rest, for it had been an eventful day plus had traveled such a long journey to and from the marine park.
The next day was rather special one for we were now going back in time, touring the old and culturally rich town of Mombasa. . Among its famous sites being the old and historic Fort Jesus. Remember our SGR pick up Samuel? Well, he had been assigned as our driver yet again to take us on a tour around the city, and then later take us back to the SGR Mombasa Terminus. He drove us to Fort Jesus and got us a tour guide to take us through the old town of Mombasa.
The historic Portuguese fortress (Fort Jesus aka Forte Jesus de Mombaça) was built by the Portuguese in the late 16th century (between 1593 and 1596) and named after Jesus Christ. It was designed by Italian Giovanni Battista Cairati and constructed on the orders of King Philip I of Portugal, to guard the Old Port of Mombasa.
Cairato, the designer of the fort, was inspired by Italian architect Pietro Cataneo, while the master builder was Gaspar Rodrigues. The fort was Cairato’s last overseas work.
Over the years, the fort witnessed numerous battles and changing hands between different colonial powers, including the Portuguese, Arabs, and British. Today, the Fort stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and serves as a museum that showcases the rich history and cultural diversity of the region. The 10-foot structure has influences that are displayed in the various vibrant displays of Swahili, Arab, Persian, and Portuguese culture. Our guide was so spot on. He was so knowledgeable and responded to our questions/ queries with ease. We wandered through the Old Mombasa Town as the guide taught us about the state of the town while it was under the rule of the British, giving us a glimpse into their administration. He showed us the very first British bank, Club, Mosque, Port, Pub, Restaurant ( and even shocked us with a fan fact i.e. that part of the popular Hollywood blockbuster INCEPTION was shot in Mombasa and he showed us the restaurant where it was shot from). He taught us so many things about the town. Another particular thing that stuck was that buildings in the old town are only painted with colors white and yellow, even in the face of renovation. That this is for purposes of preserving the past and rich history of the place.
We got so lost in the story telling, in that we lost track of time, yet again. So I gave Samuel a call, and he came picked us from Fort Jesus, took us to a nearby restaurant and got some takeaway food and then quickly dashed to the SGR Terminus. Again fortunately, we already had our return train tickets. So we boarded, and off we were to Nairobi.
Lukas received us at the Nairobi Terminus, just like he had dropped us off on the day of going. For meals, that evening, we got some takeaway and we headed for our final night in Kenya. The hotel we slept at was on the 13th floor, right in the heart of the city. Ah ah, what a night! What a night’s sleep I had.
The next day (which also happened to be our very last day), we had a light breakfast and then checked out of the hotel. Lukas then took us on a city tour around Nairobi. Among the activities I had looked forward to indulging in on my Kenya visit bowling. So, before he could bring us to the bus pack to board and embark on our journey, I requested he takes the boys and I to the nearest bowling area. He drove us to Sarit Center (a mall in Nairobi). There is a bowling spot by the name PINS Entertainment. Costing Kshs 800 per individual, the fee covers the activity plus the bowling shoes they temporary rent out to you. The fees grant you 20 ball throws. I was assigned lane 4. At this point, my heart was beaming with joy and my face lit with excitement as I was trained on how to throw the ball. As a first-time bowler, I was more than impressed with myself for I had numerous good runs where one throw would clear the entire line of pins and they all fall. I walked off with a really fulfilled warm heart, having played this game, one that I had wished to partake in while in Uganda but with no chances. The closest I had got was when Black Zone (on Lugogo By-pass, Kampala) opened but it closed before I could go bowl.
What’s a tour to Kenya without tasting their famed delicacy UGALI? Lukas drove us to The Hood Kilimani and I have gotta say we were served the best nyama choma there is on the land. This was paired with Ugali (Posho), greens, and “kachumbali” (its Kenyan term has skipped my mind) and that made for a wonderful wrap up of our 4–5-day voyage in Kenya. Thereafter, we were dropped off at the bus park, and set off from Nairobi for Kampala at 6:30PM, and reached this side at 12Pm the next day.
A few tips and reminders for new travelers to Kenya, from my Experience:
- Always move with clothes for all seasons when you visit Kenya. There are times when lighter clothes like shorts, vests, and crocs are important (especially when in Mombasa which is hot). When in Nairobi, you might need your thicker clothes to be close by. Items like hoodies/ sweaters, sweat pants, scarfs and stockings are a must have).
- Keep your travel documents nearby so you don’t have to panic, when looking for them, when they are needed to be presented.
- Where need be, travel with a reputable safaris and tours company. It’ll make your travel experience smooth. I do recommend Travelers’ Club, cuz I have been to numerous adventures, minus worrying, cuz they handle your everything, yours is to travel and have fun while at it.
Oh by the way! As is my custom, whenever I visit a region, I ask to be given a name from the city, as a souvenir. My Kenyan name is Leshan. It was given to me by the young lady “Bamburi” , who my colleagues and I met when our way to Mombasa while on the SGR train. She told me it means someone who is Wise.
MTN Uganda isn’t done treating its customers to experiences such as these. Gwe simply subscribe for MTN Proggie, keep playing by answering the questions, accumulate points. This will increase your chances of winning an all-expenses paid trip to top destinations, as well as win other incredible prizes. The trips happen once a month but the other rewards are dished out on a weekly basis. So, PROGGIE on!
