Entertainment / Local
Ibumba roars into life with Tuku expected to headline the event
16 Dec 2014 at 03:27hrs | Views
THE week-long Ibumba Festival comes to life in Bulawayo today with superstar Oliver Mtukudzi expected to headline the event. An opening ceremony for the festival, which ends on December 22, will be held at Stanley Square in Makokoba tonight.
The festival, running under the theme "No Limits", will be a fun-filled mixture of theatre, dance, comedy and sport.
Tuku, who is famously known for his husky soulful voice and has held sold out concerts on global stages in Europe, America, and Australia, will take to the stage at Stanley Square on Sunday evening.
Festival director Simon Mambazo Phiri said Tuku's appearance at the festival was a way of lightening up the festivities as other top artistes from the country are expected to perform.
"Tuku returns to play for the first time in years in Bulawayo's oldest township of Makokoba. He is among the country's top artistes to headline this year's Ibumba Festival and he will hold his only full public show at Ibumba Main Stage (Stanley Square) on December 21.
"Tuku isn't the only top artiste to feature, there're others whom we're expecting to bring to our people during the festival as we're hoping to brighten up the festival," he said.
Mambazo said the official opening ceremony would be hosted by socialite Babongile Sikhonjwa and will feature performances by Albert Nyathi and Siyaya.
"There'll be an opening piece called No Limits written by myself featuring artistes such as Hwamanda, Magesh, Hloseni, Ezimnyama, Family Voices, Ngoma Buntibe, Vocal Ex, Sungura Masters, Outfit Band, Ramsey Kays, Janet Wood, Sunduza, Umkhathi, Kwabatsha and Iyasa, directed by Brain Geza and Makula Moyo.
"On the second day in the afternoon, a play Colour of Hope, will be shown at Stanley Hall and in the evening the play moves to Nkulumane Hall.
"On the same evening Vocal Ex will hold a show at the Family of God Auditorium," he said.
Mambazo said on Thursday December 18 globetrotting group Iyasa will hold a show called Afrika Alive at Stanley Hall and on the main stage Siyaya will hold a concert. Ramsy Kasawaya will shutdown the day's proceedings.
"On Friday Sikhonjwa will hold Babo Alive at the VIP Bar Stage and those who missed Family Voices launching their album in August can watch them again as they are holding a show at the FOG Auditorium on the same day," he said.
Mambazo added that on December 20, Carl Joshua Ncube would perform at a show dubbed 'Welcome home comedy show' at Bulawayo Centre's Rainbow City 1.
Wrapping up the festival at Crescent Sports Club will be a social football tournament that will feature artistes, journalists and other stakeholders in the entertainment industry.
"To cap the festival and help make football and sport in general part of the festival now and in the future, a social soccer tournament will be held on the last day. The teams to be featured include, Team Siyaya, Team Journalists and Entertainment, Makokoba, Nguboyenja, Barbourfields, Mzilikazi, Njube and surroundings, and Nkulumane Nketa United," said Mambazo.
The festival, running under the theme "No Limits", will be a fun-filled mixture of theatre, dance, comedy and sport.
Tuku, who is famously known for his husky soulful voice and has held sold out concerts on global stages in Europe, America, and Australia, will take to the stage at Stanley Square on Sunday evening.
Festival director Simon Mambazo Phiri said Tuku's appearance at the festival was a way of lightening up the festivities as other top artistes from the country are expected to perform.
"Tuku returns to play for the first time in years in Bulawayo's oldest township of Makokoba. He is among the country's top artistes to headline this year's Ibumba Festival and he will hold his only full public show at Ibumba Main Stage (Stanley Square) on December 21.
"Tuku isn't the only top artiste to feature, there're others whom we're expecting to bring to our people during the festival as we're hoping to brighten up the festival," he said.
Mambazo said the official opening ceremony would be hosted by socialite Babongile Sikhonjwa and will feature performances by Albert Nyathi and Siyaya.
"There'll be an opening piece called No Limits written by myself featuring artistes such as Hwamanda, Magesh, Hloseni, Ezimnyama, Family Voices, Ngoma Buntibe, Vocal Ex, Sungura Masters, Outfit Band, Ramsey Kays, Janet Wood, Sunduza, Umkhathi, Kwabatsha and Iyasa, directed by Brain Geza and Makula Moyo.
"On the second day in the afternoon, a play Colour of Hope, will be shown at Stanley Hall and in the evening the play moves to Nkulumane Hall.
"On the same evening Vocal Ex will hold a show at the Family of God Auditorium," he said.
Mambazo said on Thursday December 18 globetrotting group Iyasa will hold a show called Afrika Alive at Stanley Hall and on the main stage Siyaya will hold a concert. Ramsy Kasawaya will shutdown the day's proceedings.
"On Friday Sikhonjwa will hold Babo Alive at the VIP Bar Stage and those who missed Family Voices launching their album in August can watch them again as they are holding a show at the FOG Auditorium on the same day," he said.
Mambazo added that on December 20, Carl Joshua Ncube would perform at a show dubbed 'Welcome home comedy show' at Bulawayo Centre's Rainbow City 1.
Wrapping up the festival at Crescent Sports Club will be a social football tournament that will feature artistes, journalists and other stakeholders in the entertainment industry.
"To cap the festival and help make football and sport in general part of the festival now and in the future, a social soccer tournament will be held on the last day. The teams to be featured include, Team Siyaya, Team Journalists and Entertainment, Makokoba, Nguboyenja, Barbourfields, Mzilikazi, Njube and surroundings, and Nkulumane Nketa United," said Mambazo.
Source - chronicle
