The 13th edition of the Zzina Awards, held on 12th February 2026, proved to be a night of glamour, emotion and a hint of controversy, as Uganda’s top artists and creatives gathered to celebrate excellence in the local entertainment industry.
Tracy Melon and Kapeke emerged as the dominant figures of the night, walking away with multiple major awards. Tracy Melon was named Best Female Artist, Best Contemporary Urban Artist, and Breakthrough Artist, cementing her status as one of Uganda’s leading voices in contemporary urban music.
Kapeke, on the other hand, claimed Best LugaFlow/Rap Song for Kaba, Best LugaFlow/Rap Artist, Best Male Artist, Song of the Year (Kaba), and the prestigious Artist of the Year award, making him the most decorated male artist of the night.
Other winners included Sheebaholics for Best Fans Team, Mozelo Kidz & John Blaq for Best Inspirational Song (My Life), and Dokta Brain for Best Songwriter. In dancehall, Karole Kasita took home both Best Dancehall Artist and Best Dancehall Song for Go (Remix) featuring Elijah Kitaka.
The awards also recognized emerging talents and other contributors to the entertainment ecosystem. Mickey Seems 2Funny won Best Comedy Content Creator, while Joshua Baraka & Jae5 took Best Contemporary Urban Song with Wrong Places. Sheebah Karungi was named Best Afrobeats Song for Somebody, and Omega 256 & Cindy Sanyu won Best Collaboration for See You Tonight.
In sports, the awards recognized Jacob Kiplimo as Sports Personality, and legendary singer Iryn Namubiru received the Legend Award for her longstanding contributions to the Ugandan music scene.
The 13th Zzina Awards underscored the vibrancy of Uganda’s entertainment industry, highlighting both established stars and rising talents in music, comedy, and sports.