2014BAYIMBA FESTIVAL Bayimba International Festival of the Arts 2014

Mesuseera Segamwenge - Kadongo Kamu (Uganda), Mathia Kakumirizi - Kadongo Kamu (Kampala, Uganda), Hadijja Namale - Miracle Saints Dance group (Kampala, Uganda), Foursome Foundation - Comedy (Kampala, Uganda), Abazeei Be Bbama - Theatre (Kampala, Uganda), Kisongora Women Group - Music (Bundibujo, Uganda), Street Dance Force (Jinja, Uganda), Zubari Family - Drama (Kampala, Uganda), End of the Weak - Mic Challenge (Countrywide), Dream House Uganda (Mbale, Uganda), Punchliners/Queens of Comedy (Kampala, Uganda), Word Painters - Poetry (Uganda), Creative writers - Poetry (Uganda), Blue Stars Modern Taarab Dancers (Kampala, Uganda), Restless Feet/ la’Baila Clinic - Dance (Kampala, Uganda), Pride Africa performers (Kampala, Uganda), Film Screening (Worldwide) and many more 19-21 September

National Theatre Kampala Uganda www.bayimba.org Page 1

IN THIS 2 / Welcome by the Festival Director 3 / Epic 4/ Madoxx Sematimba 5-6 / From the Regions North, East & West 8-9 / Pictorial 10 / Foursum / Henry Tigan 11 / Burney MC / Ary Morais 12 / Jackie Senyonjo / Jungle de Maneater 13 / Jemimah Sanyu 14 / Sifa Kelele / Zubari 15 / Festival Programme 2014 BAYIMBA NEWSPAPER TEAM 2014 Consulting Editors: Simon Musasizi and Joseph Batte Assistant Editor: Samuel Okocha Contributing Journalists: Solomon Muleyi, Pat Robert Larubi, Lawrence Ogwal, Collins Hinamundi, Elizabeth Namakula, Andrew Kaggwa, JaneJustine Mirembe Photography: Richard Kirabo, Esther Mbabazi, Herod Senvomo, Daniel Ecwalu, Dorothy Biira, Gilbert Daniels, Maureen Nnam, Oscar Kibuuka Design & layout: Jantien Zuurbier Printer: Kato Lubego Bikongolo Director: Faisal Kiwewa Education Coordinator: Rosette Media and Documentation: Gilbert Media Co-ordinator: Philip

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NOTES FROM THE BY FAISAL KIWEWA

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We believe that creating for the sake of creating is an important endeavour. It inspires, triggers, yet It is at this time that a year of hard also challenges us in our thinking. We are grateful work is comes to a close. It is also the time that that we enjoy the freedom to create and curate the Bayimba team gathers on a daily basis to fine our annual festival. This freedom is important to tune its festival programme, taking on board final anyone, artists and non-artists alike. In fact, we are thoughts and suggestions so as to make sure that all artists, and the products of our creative thinking you, our dear fans, have plenty of memorable deserve recognition and respect. Unfortunately, we festival moments. Every year, we strive to deliver a are faced with various obstacles that impede on the true festival experience to our audiences. The thank creative process. Such limitations are limitations you messages that have come in overwhelming to our development, a loss to an individual at numbers after previous festivals are a testimony to a personal level, the creative industry and our this and give us renewed energy to continue with country as a whole. I am therefore looking forward to the discussion by ArtWatch on this very topic this what we love to do. When programming, we extensively discuss Sunday 13:30 at the Auditorium. how you, our audience, would experience the Allow me to close by thanking our funders, festival, the final product. However, programming sponsors and partners that through financial and our annual festival is a creative process, of equal other means support our creative process. I invite importance as the final product in itself. It is a you to enjoy the end product of this process and to process of experimenting and exploring, in close explore your own creativity. Our festival programme consultation and cooperation with the artists and has plenty activities lined up to that end. partners that we select. It is for this reason that the festival programme that unfolds in this process Faisal KIWEWA Artistic Director represents the unexpected, the unknown, the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts unusual or something what others have dubbed the “Bayimbaness”. ear Bayimbans,

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An Epic Opening for Bayimba

THE RETURN OF

By Andrew Kaggwa, Pat Robert Larubi & Samuel Okocha

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loomy skies with some signs of rain, colorful works of sculpture, paintings, print and highly placed blue, green, purple, yellow and orange banners highlight almost every corner of the spacious National Theatre parking lot. A joyous atmosphere inspired by the great Africa rising spirit can easily be felt. The seventh edition of Bayimba International Festival of the Arts rolled off yesterday in high gear. Two wonderful outdoor stages - one for performances and another for the Santuri Safari DJs - set with a camp fire for African storytelling, theatrical dramas and comedy in the auditorium, showed that the opening as a testament to commitment and lessons learnt over the years. On the main stage, it all started with a little known Jinja’s Sandra Namutebi aka Sandra Sanja. Rocking sexy jean shorts on a red high heeled boot, Sandra set the tone with the first musical performance at the festival. Dozens of photographers crowded the front stage, manoeuvring for the right space to take their shots. Her hair – dreadlocked in gold colored springs – gave her the look of a star. The main stage started off on a low key, but this was because Sandra’s music is quite new. This didn’t stop the ambitious singer from pushing it down their throats. The highly anticipated debut of an all-girl band Sifa Kelele was worth the wait but not all that; many of the other members of the band were absent, which didn’t affect the music in anyway but deterred their identity as one of those bands where girls play the bass

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and drums. Instead, these were exploited by the male contingent. Worse still their vocals were up to the task, yet they lacked the energy to back up the ranges. They were impressive on all their songs. Niwe Weka lifted spirits. The song, which is strong on a solo traditional instrument, a bow lyre, with the xylophone towards the end, talks about the girls’

“Crisscrossing is very common as people decide on where they want to be at a particular time depending on what they like most” love for Christ – music for the soul. Jemimah Sanyu’s band, Unit 446, must have been the highlight of the main stage. They had not even been programmed to perform but with the absence of Nehoreka, they became the dangerous substitutes. Their lead singers Jemimah and Joshua were amazing. Joshua went hard on Nalumansi and Twetolola, while Jemimah melted hearts on Perfect Gentleman, Bandage and Kankubite, her debut single. For some reason, Jemimah holds a record for being the only artiste that has performed at Bayimba more than once with different bands each time. In fact, it wasn’t only Nehoreka that didn’t show up; South Africa‘s Dr. Bone too was a no show. Kas Kasozi to the rescue with his rare skill and showmanship

Written by SOLOMON MULEYI

on the electric guitar. In the auditorium, Zubairi Family treated guests to a play Najja Nani, a play that used a hospital setting to depict the situation the country is going through: shortage of medicine, corruption and betrayal. This before Masaka’s Matia Kakumirizi and wife thrilled guests with Kadongo Kamu. Day one closed after a performance by Haruna Mubiru that was worth the wait. Her show left many on their feet asking for more. According to the festival Director, Faisal Kiwewa, the idea of developing two stages was because they realized people struggled to fit into a single space in past events. Hence, the need to create an alternative space so people could have enough of the Bayimba events. Robinah Nansubuga, a curator, who has attended the festival for the last six years, also noted that the two stage idea was impressive. "Crisscrossing is very common as people decide on where they want to be at a particular time depending on what they like most," she said. Aimed at improving artistic production in all art sectors, the Bayimba festival involves a potpourri of events and activities. As fans followed the action on stage, others treated themselves to the local brew popularly known as tonto. Men and women clasped their hands around their pot of tonto as they danced to the traditional drum beats round the bonfire place, literally translated as ekyoto in the local language. "I am enjoying myself," said Kasirye Amis, a student. "This is what brought me here."

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efining reggae music in Uganda has been an elusive notion. So, to constantly hoist the flag and keep afloat a ship as heavy as reggae music in a country where people mostly appreciate bubblegum music is certainly not a venture many Ugandan musicians have been brave enough to face. For a person who last released an album in 2006 under the title Abaato, it is only legendary for his music to still enjoy constant airplay up to date. It’s David Ssemanda Ssematimba aka Maddox Ssematimba we are talking about here; the vocal maestro whose ballads have inspired many. Songs such as Irene, Tukolagane, Omwami N’omukyala, Kampala, Come Let’s Rock, Namagembe and Nakatude, among others, will shoot any soul into a loving mood – the delivery is in such a calm demeanor yet the lyrics hold an immense passion. Maddox, who was born in Kampala, attended Makonzi Boarding Primary School and Busoga College Mwiri. After secondary school, he worked as a primary school teacher with Christian Life Children’s Home, which was one of schools funded by a nongovernmental organisation. At the age of 21 (in 1991), Maddox left the country for Sweden, where he immediately started learning instruments – from the guitar to keyboard. It helped that he had an uncle there who encouraged him to play musical instruments. Notably, part of the reason Maddox followed his musical dream was because he was born into a musical family. His brother, Andrew Kawesi, is a music producer while Drake Sebuma and Jackie Nabasumba are major participants in church choirs. It was not easy starting out in Sweden but

Maddox’s character helped him fit in. His social character secured him enough contacts to put him in a position of growth musically; many windows of opportunity opened up thereafter. It was up to him to exploit them, and it took him two years to settle down. “I started performing in a couple of bands around 1993,” he said. On his musical journey, he was introduced to big professional studios and embarked on writing songs. By 1992, he had written his most popular songs Namagembe and Nakatudde. “It was something that sounded good to me. When you do something and you appreciate it, you always care to see what others will say about it. I used to get quality vibes back about my work,” the reggae icon explains. His concerts always flooded whenever he came back into the country – the same way his album, Abaato, sold out locally and internationally. Such is what characterized his glory in the country – as many musical critics referred to his legacy as a legendary – one many Ugandan artists would never match. That was before he came back to live in Uganda after failing in Sweden. Depressed and attention deprived, Maddox has been living a miserable life ever since he returned. Many stories have cropped up of him resorting to other means of income other than the music to put food on his table. And while evidence will validate most of them, he was quick to snap out and get back on his feet. He thus started getting gigs in local bars and because the Bayimba International Festival of Arts recognizes and appreciates authentic and original art, he is lined up to crown this year’s festival. Maddox is a legend who many Ugandan fans would love to see on a big stage.

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From the Regions North East & West... Written by RAYMOND OMERIO OJAKOL

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Gulu festival

he represented the north with educational opportunities, Luo language performances and memories of difficult pasts. Inspirational legacies of graffiti sprayed Luo icons like Matthew Lukwiya and Okot P’Bitek followed throughout the festival in workshops, performances, films, fashion and unexpected fire dancing. Film has been a slow development in Gulu. Elaborated by the fact that Gulu has been marred by war which disabled all form of growth. Nevertheless filmmakers were told in the Maisha Film Lab workshop that, in light of the logistical challenges, to work with what they have — to start with any available camera after all, it’s not about the camera but its holder. One of the questions the Gulu Arts Symposium attempted to address was how artists can get their music onto a festival stage. Wasswa Alex, one of the panelists, emphasised quality stating, “An artist comes to the studio and he tells you that he wants a song on Friday that will be played on a concert on Saturday; do you think that music can compete with a song that has spent two months in a studio?” Gregg Tendwa, a music manager and artist, familiar with both the concept of ‘cooking’ as well as that of ‘serving’, gave the most illuminating advice that bridged the two essentials. Artists must interact with DJs. The formula goes like this: 1 stage show = 500 listeners . One DJ play = 200 listeners x 3 days a week, x 4 weekends a month, totalling 2,400 listeners. Coco Finger (the proclaimed Luo Ambassador) might have been the performance headliner, but there was a smaller more profound voice from Acholi Muding, an artist who uses a local brand of Hip Hop he calls Luo-flow and sees Hip Hop as a community, lifestyle and sense of purpose. On stage he danced Ganda-style with a cloth wrapped around his waist while rapping Acholi. “Even when they can’t understand the language, I want a Muganda to listen to the beat and say, ‘Omusajja agamba ki? Can I join?’” Leaving the festival, one ponders the showcases, workshops, stage performances and the general splash of the local arts colour. Perhaps the residue of such an event is the very notion that arts do talk.

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Fort Portal

or the community, Bayimba 2014 was the first chance to experience varied genres of the arts, both contemporary and traditional on one platform. Nestled behind tea-matted hills with a reputation for cleanliness, Fort Portal is culturally self-contained, even resistant. For the success of the festival, Bayimba partnered intricately with the community to develop workshops, a brass band procession, a boda boda art exhibition. The KLA ART 014 workshop was a revelation of arts promotion with an unconventional mobile boda boda exhibition dubbed Unmapped. A convoy of ten boda boda drivers and visual artists, their bodies strapped with paintings and crafts, streamed through Fort Portal town in a rare experience of colour. The lens of film revealed a strong appreciation of culture that, when applied specifically to this recent and growing art form, might prove a hindrance. This was shown when the participants of the Maisha workshop asked to be spoken to by NTV screen writer Lucky Laura in Rutooro. Lucky Laura settled into a painstaking rhythm of Runyankore (a sister language) and English. This cultural pride puts Fort Portal filmmakers in a dilemma of adopting an art form whose traditions have melted into an anglophone culture they are keen to resist. Traditional dancers clad in colourful costumes, stomping rhythms with smiles frozen in perpetual pleasure, lined up in formations that then gave way to the instinct of the dominant engalabi, the seeking endigidi and the persistent knocks of the xylophone. A group of Basongora women followed by enacting a traditional form of poetry that incorporated call and response with prolonged hissing for crowd involvement. Leaving Fort Portal town, the vehicle laden with the Bayimba festival crew drove by the public art monument that had been constructed during the time. The occupants pondered quietly, perhaps in hopes that their work was finished, perhaps with gratitude for artistic inspiration, or with notions that they would be back for more next year. *Full article here http://startjournal.org/2014/07/bayimba-fort-portal/

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Mbale

iewers clung close to the stage at Naboa Road, leaving food vendors and quiet revellers at the street bars behind them. “Last year when we had Idi Masaba and Cindy, the crowd pushed all the way up to the barricade.” Bayimba’s Rosette Nteyafas remembered. If the purpose of the Bayimba regional festivals is to expose the best of what localities produce, the Mbale eastern festival displayed largely unknown regional acts, who for their lack of distinction, couldn’t capitalise on regional loyalty to attract the numbers. Existing in an urban mix of cultures, Mbale town defies a simple cultural construction. The dominant population in the region is of Gishu descent, but the city is a blend of ethnicities and the influx of trade makes Luganda the most widely spoken urban language. Amidst the stream of influences, Mbale City is a close imitation to Kampala; borrowing its broadness and also its perception of all things popular. At the festival, the crowd appeared undecided, shuffling between the view of the stage and a projector at the street flanks where a World Cup game was being aired. On stage, Ajambo Babie, Rexy and Skin Tosh in sequence, performed to the loitering crowd. However, Kadongo Kamu veteran Ronald Sebale, a fitting climax to the evening, ignited the reluctant passions of festival goers emptying the bars as the crowd snuggled closer to the stage for the final act. Gyrating Hip Hop groover Barbara Mdibalekela’s disappointment from crowd engagement was illustrated in the idea of bad timing. “It is Ramadan, people are fasting; it is why they are not here. The ones who are here do not appreciate our music. All they want is musicians coming from Kampala. Bayimba should take us to Kampala. In Kampala, talent is more valued.” In comparison to previous editions in the region, the 2014 Bayimba regional festival in Mbale showed that while its people love their artists, they expect

the festival to be an exhibition of the most popular. *Full article here http://startjournal.org/2014/08/bayimba-mbale/

*Full article here http://startjournal.org/2014/04/bayimba-gulu/

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BAYIMBA 2014

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THE FOURSUM GIANTS OF COMMEDY

Written by SOLOMON MULEYI

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omedy in Uganda has grown in leaps and bounds in the recent past. But to thrive in the competitive industry it has become, you have to take your game a notch higher. That is why Foursum, a comedy group that comprises Felix Bwanika, Williams Otaako Mpaata, Edwin Mukalazi and Simon Kivumbi, continues to stand out in Uganda. Theirs is a rare portray of absolute virtuosity, different from the usual plate of jokes crafted on the borders of Uganda’s lifestyle – that many branded comedians serve. The Foursum comedy group uses newspaper headlines to compose a horde of skits drenched in such hilarity that leaves your eyes soaked from rib cracking laughter. Their adroitness surpasses the normal expectations as it’s hard to speculate what their performance cache harbours – because once they step on stage, they don’t leave till all their skits are done. They continue to pull off an eloquent relay of their experience and talent in comedy. Bwanika is natural at mimicry and facial expression alteration, a talent that the group relies on to paint a vivid picture of whichever concept they are trying to relay.

It’s a comeback for Henry Tigan .

“I had this dream of becoming one of the big artists in Uganda” Page 10

Yet, still, Mukalazi will surprise you with his versatility and comfort to fit in all tasks, while Otaako (funny name if you ask me) and Kivumbi are the loud mouths on stage. And there you have it; an interesting Foursum to watch out. Date: Sunday 21 September Time: 18:00 Stage: Auditorium

Written by PAT ROBERT LARUBI

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e first hit the music scene in 2005 with a single titled Empisazo under the group – Jamming crew. It was an educational piece that quickly shaped into a hit in the city and was on the playlist of most radios. The track was written by then little known, Henry Kirumaganyi, popularly known as Henry Tigan. Tigan started his music journey in secondary school in 2000. “I have grown up with music because I knew I had the talent and the passion. I had this dream of becoming one of the big artists in Uganda,” he says. It was this dream that pushed him to write his first single Eilanga, a conscious song tackling social issues that affect common people in the country. With his simple and humble personality, Tigan has composed big hits such as Abogezi, and Nsiimye Gwe that kept him on the charts – until he recently went silent. But every good musician needs some space to be creative and produce authentic music. As Tigan returns to stage after a quiet spell, revellers will be looking forward to see what the singer has been up to. One thing for sure is that Tigan never disappoints. This is perhaps because he works hard to be like people who inspire him among them is Philly Lutaaya. He cites Lutaaya’s beautiful common sense lyrics, which make his music fresh in our ears and relevant today. The Kyambogo University graduate of Adult and Continuing Education says that music has earned him money and fame and being at the Bayimba stage is just a plus to his endless efforts and hard work. “Because of music, I am known internationally after making huge collaborations with well acclaimed artistes such as Marlon Asher, Mighty Mystic and BL,” he says.

BURNEY MC TO BURN YOU LIRICALLY Written by LAWRENCE OGWAL

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ana Mutibwa, commonly known as Burney MC, is a hip hop artiste who will always leave you craving for more every time he leaves the stage. His humorous rhymes always leave the audience ululating. He is a great story teller. If you have been at all the other previous Bayimba festivals, I am sure you must have seen him strut his stuff on stage. Burney MC first breezed on the scene with his then hip-hop crew known as Abatuzze. He then joined Luga Flow Army. He will be seen for the first time as a solo act, performing on the main stage at the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts. He considers himself a story teller who inspires the world through his music and teachings. He is proud of having shared the stage with world renowned hip hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar, De la Soul, Big Daddy Kane, Prago Union, among others. The 25-year-old has also performed in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Germany, France, Denmark and Czech Republic.

A CLASS IN CAPOIERA By Solomon Muleyi

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he Ugandan culture is a diverse one, but the ease with which Ugandans assimilate new cultures remain fascinating. The latest addition to the cultures adopted in Uganda is a dance called capoeira. At the Friday opening of the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts, a group of dreadlocked men from Senzala Uganda took it upon themselves to teach those with beaming curiosity buds the basics of the Capoeira

Sunday 21 September Time 19:00 Stage: Main Stage

dance. Right besides the main stage, children and adults were taken through the drills and basics of the dance. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music. Sometimes referred to as a game, it was developed in Brazil by African descendants, mostly from Angola. .Capoeira, used in genuine self-defense situations, incorporates many sweeps and low moves, whereas when played as a game there is more emphasis on high moves, demonstrations of acrobatics, full cartwheels for evasion, and flips or other exotic techniques, providing an entertaining match for the audience. It was practiced by slaves and disguised as dance in order to prevent its Capoeiristas from punishment or execution for learning how to fight and defend them-

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JACKIE SENYONJO FINALLY ARRIVES

By Elizabeth Namakula

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one are the days when Jackie Senyonjo went behind the church curtains crying because she had not made it to the list of people travelling to the USA alongside famous Kansanga Miracle Center choir. Those days are over, and in comes days of fame and fortune for the gospel singer. She has become a soughtafter musician in Uganda. She has travelled abroad to countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Nigeria and South Africa. We came to know Jackie through the group called Extanol and their break out hit, Gyogenda. At first you were tempted to think that the vocalists were from South Africa until you heard Jackie soaring on the Luganda verses. Later when the group broke up, Jackie stayed on course and for her reward, Nandibadewa and Ndoperaggwe became massive hits. Since 2008, she has produced two albums. In 2012, her video for Netaagagwe won the best video at the Olive gospel music awards.

She has shared a stage with renowned gospel artists such as South Africa’s KEKE and Nigeria’s AITY. To some artists, popularity means pomp and power, but with Jackie, this is nothing compared to the desire she has – preaching out for Christ with her music. She is humble, caring and sociable. You just feel warm being around her, very humorous. Most of her music is true life experiences she has gone through. She has a variety of styles ranging from Zouk, Afro-beat, Reggae and R&B. With all these genres, her message of hope in Jesus, whom she got to know during one of her visits to Kabale town, comes out clearly. That is her job as a gospel artist, you say, but Jackie gives powerful emotional deliveries that leave one’s soul stirring and yearning for more. Her music is always upbeat; rarely do you find her immersing herself in ballads. Not that she wouldn’t shine; she is gifted with an aggressive four-octave voice and can actually pull off anything she wants to sing. She is that type of singer.

JUNGLE DE MANEATER ANNOUNCING T THE ARRIVAL OF LUSO FLOW Written By ANDREW KAGGWA

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here’s a very thin line between rap and poetry. The punch lines, delivery and rhyming; thus, it’s no surprise that for many, Jungle De Maneater was more of a poet than a rapper. He had even garnered himself a huge following at the Gatto Matto Kwivuga poetry sessions. Born in Bugembe, Jinja, in 1986, Yasin Bamulumba aka Jungle De Maneater is the last of nine children. He started singing as a child and played traditional Ugandan instruments such as the bow harp (adungu) xylophone and thumb piano (akogo) while in school. This all laid a firm foundation for his music career. In 2004, he chose to follow his passion to use his life story and experience as a youth-empowerment tool and an avenue for social change in his home district of Jinja. Jungle’s music is a fusion of hip hop and traditional

JEMIMAH SANYU OWNED FRIDAY NIGHT Written by JANE JUSTINE MIREMBE

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thief breaks into your home with so much energy and skill that you cannot help but to give in. She takes over your home and you surrender all you have with a smile. Later when she decides to leave, you are begging her not to go. Your pleas fall on deaf ears as she walks out of your home taking your heart with her. That is what Jemimah Sanyu did to me on Friday night! Just when we were all eager for Zimbabwe’s band, Nehoreka, which was next onstage after Sifa Kelele’s performance, it was shocking that the MC, Lady Bizzo, instead introduced a one Jemimah, who was nowhere on the programme. Surprisingly, Lady Bizzo didn’t explain to us why the Zimbabwean band had not shown up that night. Anyway, we all wanted someone who could put us in the mood for the festival. Jinja’s Sandra, who opened the performances at 7pm, followed up by the all-girl band, Sifa Kelele, had failed to do it. Jemimah walked to the stage with the swagger of a superstar. "Everybody feeling irie tonight?" she asked – leaving me thinking: "Yeah, just another of those wannabe reggae artists". However, she had every one's attention right from the sound check. Her voice too strong and rich to ignore and her stage presence commanding you to watch her. Finally, the real Bayimba festival 2014 had started! Formerly with Janzi band and Sarah Zawedde’s Zawee band, Jemima is the fireball that rocked the Bayimba main stage at 9 PM. Performing a variety of contemporary R & B and Afro-fusion songs such as I am Ugandan and Amaaso Go Gogera, she took us on a musical high we had not expe-

Ugandan melodies. In his lyrics, he addresses social issues such as corruption, poverty and unity. He enjoys calling his type of rap “Luso Flow” (meaning Lusoga flow). During the various Kwivuga sessions, he did poems about love, mothers and culture. Jungle De Maneater has engaged in numerous collaborations and released three singles: Kakopi, Kakopi, Mwekza and Byu. Although he has not yet recorded an album, Jungle De Maneater has become a household name in the local hip hop scene and a frontrunner of “Luso flow” that honours the local language of the Basoga. In 2013, he was given the Igenge Talent and Music Award (I.T.M.A.) by the acting Kyabazinga of Busoga for his substantial social contribution to the people of Busoga. Jungle De Maneater performed at various concerts, festivals and local community gatherings since 2009,

rienced yet since the show started. She had the charisma, charm, attitude and energy of a star. Yes, she seemed a bit crazy as she broke into dance like no one was watching her, but that was her spark. The audience listened in amazement as she crooned the beautiful sounds of Ziba Amaaso. As if Jemimah had not wowed us enough, her backup singer, Joshua, had the ladies falling in love with his soulful voice as he performed songs such as Nalumansi and Jangu Ewange. Soothing to the ear and yet exciting to watch was the youthful looking Joshua who sung, played acoustic guitar and danced at the same time. He was so effortless and natural. Some described him as a concoction of Maurice Kirya and Qute Kaye but to me, Joshua is someone that Maurice Kirya should be watching carefully from now on. Jemimah's band was so in sync. It seemed flawless! Emma on the drums was energetic and lively. Mosha strummed on that guitar like he would never play it again and the passionate saxophonist blew us away. She even managed to get Fenon Record’s producer Legend P out of studio onto stage to play the piano. Together, they gave the ultimate Bayimba experience. They were the best thing that happened to the Bayimba main stage on Friday night. After performing for an hour, Jemimah said good night and broke our hearts. The greedy crowd asked for an encore but her time was up. She clearly is going to go places as an artiste and performer. I am looking forward to seeing her in her own concert. With exciting opening performances like Jemimah's, I can only say that Bayimba 2014 is going to be one of a kind.

amongst them Bayimba Regional Festivals in Jinja and at the main stage in Kampala – as part of various hip hop collaborations. He also worked as the vice-president of Bonfire Uganda, a community-based hip hop organization involved in teaching hip hop and organizing exhibitions and platforms on a weekly basis. Currently, he is organizing the monthly the Lyricists Lounge, a hip hop poetry and storytelling platform. This is the first that Jungle steps on the Bayimba main stage with a performance of his own, and he can’t wait to deliver the mighty Luso flow. Date: Sunday Time: 8pm Stage: Upper Garden

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Sifa Kelele takes baby steps at Bayimba Written by ANDREW KAGGWA

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s an all-girls’ band with socially conscious music, Sifa Kelele’s debut was highly anticipated at this year’s edition of the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts. Everyone looked forward to seeing an all-female force on instruments, but to our surprise, there was only Bridget Kitimbo on the keyboard. The band this time round exploited the services of their male

ZUBAIRI FAMILY PORTRAYS THE SITUATION IN OUR HOSPITALS

Written by COLLINS HINAMUNDI

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members – on the bass guitar and the drums. But this didn’t deter the music. From the beginning, it was an onslaught with songs such as Band Anthem, Obulamu Bwa Kisera, Here We Go, Beautiful and Boggie Woggie, among others. “Music is a very important part of my life and that’s the reason we write some of these songs,” said Driciru – before setting the theatre packing lot on fire with Niwe Weka. Originally done on a bow lyre, Niwe

Weka is a song about a girl’s love for Jesus. The slow ballad is infectious with an acoustic feel from the traditional instrument, which it fuses beautifully with the xylophone – whose sound weaves through the music to create a wonderful smell of the rhythm. On stage, however, it was done on a solo guitar. Then there was Nalinya, the lead single from their upcoming and debut album, Nankasa, and Bakisimba drumbeats marrying pop music. Good performance though needed more energy.

For most actors and actresses, adapting a movie drama script for theatre is usually a tough sell. And when it’s done, the adaptations are usually riddled with errors, poorly produced with clumsy storylines. However, Najja Nani does not disappoint. The title, which translates into “who did I come with”, is a Bbosa Sserunkuma story produced by Ahmed Lubowa. Set in a rural hospital, Najja Nani tells the story of medical workers who have turned a government hospital into a personal clearing house where they export drugs supplied to them by the government. This, however, is left to the doctors, but the lower staff at the hospital is not excluded from this corruption. The mortuary assistant also has his own thing going on in the mortuary – where he makes people pay for every dead body that enters and

also takes time off to pause as a doctor and fleeces desperate patients. However, like the movie, the stage play juxtaposes the situation in our very own hospitals and country. The producer uses the battle between Dr. Nalima and Dr. Enock to remind us that even with all the corruption going on everywhere, there are still some good people – who are willing to stick to vows made for service to country. In Najja Nani, the script writer manages to have the audience laughing themselves into stitches even on a theme as sensitive as death. Zubairi family continues to carve its own niche in an industry long dominated by groups and dram actors whose bonds and talents were honed in the late 80’s and early 90s’. In a few years, Zubairi family will be a force to reckon with on the Broadway as they are on TV.

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Brewed longer...

...still great tasting.

There’s a Club for every occasion. Tastefully different. Now also available in 330ml. Page 16