When Culture Speaks, Art Answers: Zedmonk Ssabatontomi’s Double Nomination at the 2026 East Africa Youth Awards
In a region rich with rhythm, memory, and identity, culture often survives through the voices brave enough to carry it forward. This year, one of those voices is being recognized. Zedmonk Ssabatontomi, a Ugandan rapper, creative entrepreneur, and cultural advocate, has earned two nominations at the 2026 East Africa Youth Awards (EAYA) a moment that places his work firmly within the region’s evolving cultural story.
Zedmonk has been
nominated for the Cultural Ambassador Award, honoring individuals committed to preserving, promoting, and exporting East Africa’s cultural identity, as well as the Creative Excellence Award (Art), which recognizes outstanding artistic achievement and influence. Together, the nominations reflect a rare balance of cultural responsibility and creative mastery.
The East Africa Youth Awards were established to recognize young leaders who are shaping the region’s future across sectors such as culture, innovation, entrepreneurship, social impact, and the arts. Drawing nominees from across the East African Community, the platform has become one of the region’s most respected stages for celebrating youth-driven excellence and purpose.
For Zedmonk, culture has never been an aesthetic choice, it has been a calling. Through music, storytelling, and community work, he has consistently explored themes of identity, heritage, and belonging. His art speaks to where East Africa has come from, while also challenging young people to imagine where it can go.
That vision extends beyond music. As the Founder and Executive Director of Ethnic Prides Organization , Zedmonk has created spaces where culture is not only remembered but actively lived. The organization focuses on cultural expression, creative empowerment, and heritage appreciation, ensuring that tradition remains relevant in a modern, globalized world.
His nomination for the Cultural Ambassador Award acknowledges years of intentional work dedicated to cultural preservation and pride. It recognizes his role in carrying East African identity beyond borders, using creativity as a bridge between communities, generations, and global audiences.
Meanwhile, the Creative Excellence Award (Art) nomination highlights his artistic range and originality. As a rapper and multidisciplinary creative, Zedmonk blends sound, story, and social reflection, producing art that resonates deeply with lived experiences. His work stands as proof that art rooted in culture can still be innovative, bold, and globally relevant.
More than individual recognition, the double nomination reflects a larger shift happening across East Africa, one where young creatives are increasingly recognized as cultural leaders and custodians of identity. It affirms that art, when guided by purpose, can become a powerful tool for preservation, dialogue, and transformation.
As public voting for the 2026 East Africa Youth Awards approaches, Zedmonk Ssabatontomi’s nominations serve as both recognition and reminder: that culture matters, that art carries responsibility, and that the future of East Africa is being shaped by young voices unafraid to tell their stories.
You can vote for him at the official website of the Awards
https://vote.eaya.africa/
#MyCultureMyPride #EthnicPridesOrganization #ZedmonkSsabatontomi #EAYA2026
