Kampala residents sign up for ‘scream club’ to ease stress 

Kampala residents are turning to an unconventional coping mechanism to combat the pressures of modern city life. 

A newly formed social group, the Kampala Scream Club, is inviting city dwellers to an open-air collective primal screaming session this weekend.

The session is slated for Sunday, 12th October, atop Buziga Hill.

Organisers are promising a safe, non-judgemental space for emotional release. 

The Case for Catharsis

“We live in a world that tells us to stay quiet, hold it together, and pretend we're fine, while stress, anger, grief, and even unspoken joy build up inside,” the club posted, advertising for the event.

By encouraging participants to yell, howl, or simply sigh together, the club aims for a "release, a reset for the mind and body." 

The group dynamic, according to the organisers, helps to forge a communal sense of shared humanity: "You realise you're not the only one carrying heavy things, and you don't have to carry them alone."

Divided Local Reaction

The proposal has generated lively debate among Ugandan social media users. 

The majority appear to welcome the initiative, with one TikTok user commenting that, given "all the problems in the country, this cream club needs to be extended to all districts with a morning routine."

Some critics, however, are dismissing the practice as being "too European," suggesting the method lacks relevance to local cultural norms or healing traditions.

Global Precedent and Practice

While the idea might seem novel to Kampala, scream clubs are derived from the 1970s concept of Primal Therapy, and have recently surged in popularity worldwide, particularly in Western cities like Chicago and through viral movements such as those seen in Iceland. 

These group sessions work on the psychological principle of catharsis: by using intense vocalisation, often preceded by deep breathing and grounding exercises, participants trigger a physiological response that releases pent-up tension. 

Experts suggest the physical act of screaming can release endorphins, which are "feel-good" chemicals, providing an immediate sense of relief, though they caution that it is a mechanism for short-term stress reduction rather than a replacement for long-term therapy. 

By holding the session in a public, yet high-up, location, the Kampala club is following the global model of seeking isolated spaces to ensure full, unreserved expression without causing undue alarm.