Africa-Press – Tanzania. GUIDED by 3/8 beat in call and response rhythm interlock, Lumumba Theatre officially the Serengeti Music and Arts Festival at the Uhuru Stadium before leaving the stage to legendary and contemporary stars Bongo Flava artistes.
The maiden festival has been organised by Tanzanian government under the ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports. The organisers said the colourful start of this year’s festival; the event will be annually staged.
Lumumba Theatre, one of the popular arts groups insisted on commitment to work and messages that warned youth against immoral acts. After the group, then came Wamwiduka band also played folk songs accompanied with traditional dances. The festival that officially started in late afternoon went on until dawn.
The event’s chief coordinator, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Dr Hassan Abbasi said the aim of the festival is to promote arts, music and tourism as all three play a major role in employment and a good source of revenues.
Later one the stage was taken by Bongo Flava artistes who had the biggest fan base at the venue. Among the notable in the list included TID, Ferooz, Wagosi wa Kaya, TMK Wanaume and MB Doggy, who were the stars of the early 2000s. They were listed alongside the contemporary stars such as Aslay, Nandy and Lina Sanga.
The festival is among the major events that brightened the Boxing Day until its climax later yesterday. As promised by Dr Abbasi, the Uhuru Stadium saw yesterday a classy international-level entertainment that brought together traditional and new generation music with over 50 stars in one carousel.
Dr Abbasi further noted the preparations went on well and it truly established a close relationship between music and tourism sectors. The festival also honours the contribution of the legendary artistes who initiated the growth of the country’s music industry.
The festival climax today at TaSuBA in Bagamoyo where music, arts exhibition, dance drama and acrobatics will be staged.
