MILLICENT HUNGWE
All roads this weekend lead to Mucheke stadium as the country’s top musicians invade the ancient city for the Chibuku Neshamwawri Traditional dance national finals
The usually serene city will be abuzz with the sounds of multi award winner and internationally acclaimed music of Tocky Vibes real name Obey Makambureyi, from Chivi.
Fans are eagerly anticipating for his performance, which will feature his latest hit single, “Amai Mwenje”.
The song, “Amai Mwenje”, is a hearty tribute to the unconditional love and selflessness of mothers.
Tocky Vibes pours out his soul, emphasizing the irreplaceable nature of a mother’s love.
The song’s title, “Amai Mwenje”, can be loosely translated as “Mother is light”.
“Amai mwenje unowanikwa kamwechete muupenyu, usati wadzima mwenje vaitire zvaunokwanisa…”, sings the master of song.
Zimdancehall sensation Killer T real name Kelvin Kusikwenyu will also be part of the performers and will grab the opportunity to learn and fuse traditional dance to his genre of music.
“I feel great to share the stage with traditional dance groups because they bring different cultures and experiences on stage, it’s a beautiful thing to see our diverse heritage come together in one place.
“Performing in front of large audiences and receiving a warm reception from them is an honor, it shows me that I’m being recognized in the music industry.
“To upcoming artists, I say keep working hard and never lose focus until you reach your goal.” he said.
Jah Prayzah, real name Mukudzei Mukombe, will also be part of the annual act.
This is the 61st edition of the Chibuku NeShamwari dance festival, which is sponsored by Delta Corporation in collaboration with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association (ZNTDA).
Ten groups from each province will compete in the national finals and these are Mash East Nyaungwe Dance Group Mbende, Mat South Bolamba Setapa, Mat North Pezhuba Pachena Nsumbuke Dance, Mash Central Dzimbahwe Nengoma Chinyambera, Harare Culture Warriors Dinhe, Masvingo Gango Mbakumba, Midlands Mkango Malawi Nyau, Manicaland Dapuraunanzva Arts Ensemble Mbakumba, Mash West Budiriro Arts Mhande.
The festival will also feature performances by some of the country’s top artists, including Jah Prazah, Tocky Vibes, and Killer T.
The festival’s theme for this year is “Tamba Tione! Gida Sibone!” and the national final prizes will be US$15,000 for the first prize, US$10,000 for the second prize, and US$7,500 for the third prize.
The Chibuku NeShamwari Traditional Dance Festival is a free concert.
Delta Corporation is involved, through its principal subsidiary Delta Beverages, in the brewing of lager and traditional beer and the bottling of soft drinks under license from the Coca Cola Company.
It operates one of the largest distribution network of depots and delivery fleets in Zimbabwe. It has recently bought UNB, SA, a traditional beer company. The Company has a significant interest in Schweppes Zimbabwe which manufactures still and juice drinks under the Coca-Cola franchise.
Delta Beverages is the country’s leading brewer with more than 15 beer brands and some 4,000+ employees across the country.
The group’s portfolio includes Castle, Carling Black Label, Chibuku, Chibuku Super, Castle Lite, Redd’s and Castle Milk Stout as well as leading local brands such as Golden Pilsener and Zambezi.
Its associate entity African Distillers is the leading producer of wines, spirits and ciders. It is the majority shareholder in Natbrew Plc, the LuSE listed traditional beer business in Zambia. Delta Corporation is an associate of AB InBev, the world’s largest beer company.
