After receiving more than 560 applications from groups wanting to perform at the festival,
31 groups were finally selected to perform at the ninth edition of Sauti za Busara music
festival scheduled to take place from 8th to 12th February at the historic Old Fort in Stone
Town, Zanzibar. The festival line up includes a wide array of African music stars from East
Africa as well as Nigeria, Sudan, Cape Verde, South Africa, Congo Brazzaville and Indian
Ocean islands Comoros, Madagascar and Reunion. Headline acts to perform include Nneka
(Nigeria),Tumi & The Volume (South Africa), Fredy Massamba (Congo) and FM Academia
(Tanzania) and Super Mazembe (Kenya).
Busara Xtra fringe activities begin on Wednesday 8th where Stone Town establishments open
their doors to host a variety of events. Zanzibar Town will be buzzing with shows including
Nadi Ikhwan Safaa (aka Malindi Taarab), Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni, Black Roots, Culture
Musical Club and more.
The festival kicks off in style Thursday 9th February with a carnival parade from Kisonge
Park (near Michenzani Roundabout). Featuring maloya drummers, beni brass bands,
mwanandege umbrella women, stilt-walkers, capoeira dancers and acrobats, the parade
winds through the streets of Zanzibar Town with fire and excitement, ending up at the Old
Fort for the grand opening of the festival.
Sauti za Busara’s opening night will feature performances by Swahili Vibes, Shirikisho
Sanaa, Tandaa Traditional group, Wanafunzi wa SOS (all from Zanzibar), Mkota Spirit
Dancers from Pemba and Ary Morais from Cape Verde
The second night Friday 10th features eagerly-awaited performances by East Africa’s oldest
renowned female music legends that have stood the test of time: Bi Kidude and Ogoya
Nengo from Zanzibar and Kenya respectively. Other artists set to perform this day are
Hanitra (Madagascar), Camirata Group (Sudan), Tausi Women’s Taarab and Utamaduni JKU
(Zanzibar), Kozman Ti Dalon (Reunion), Fredy Massamba (Congo) and Super Mazembe
(Kenya).
Saturday night will see the battle of two of Tanzania most popular mchiriku groups, Seven
Survivor and Jagwa Music play head to head and the audience has to decide: Nani Zaidi?!
(Who is the Best?). Tunaweza Band (Tanzania), Ndere Troupe (Uganda), Jembe Culture
Group (Tanzania), Camirata Group (Sudan) also perform on Saturday, together with Nneka,
world-renowned Nigerian artiste and winner of MOBO Award for Best African Act, 2009.
Sunday 12th features shows by Qwela (Uganda), Leo Mkanyia (Tanzania), Lumumba Theatre
Group (Tanzania), Chebli Msaidie (Comoros), Kidumbaki JKU (Zanzibar), Tumi & The Volume
(South Africa) and FM Academia (Tanzania)
Screenings of African music films and video clips showcasiing highlife, taarab, hiphop,
kuduro and bongo flava will also happen daily from 7pm til midnight, in sync with the live
performances going on simultaneously in the Old Fort’s adjacent amphitheatre.
The festival finale party happens on Valentines’ Day 14th February from 4pm til 4am at
Kendwa Rocks on the north coast of Zanzibar, for the festival crew, partners, media and
friends of Busara.
