Zimbabwe’s Finest Mokoomba To Grace Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival Of Arts

By Branton Matondo

Well-travelled musical joint Mokoomba will be part a great class of local and international music cast expected to grace the prestigious Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of Arts (OMIFA) to be held from the 21^st to the 22 of September at the heart of Tuku Music, Pakare Paye Arts Center.

In an official statement Tuku Music Pvt Ltd confirmed the inaugural event or what many would like to call the first of its kind.

‘Tuku Music (Pvt) Ltd presents the first edition of the annual Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of the Arts (OMIFA) to be held at the Pakare Paye Arts Center in Norton on the 21st to the 22nd of September 2024’, read the statement.

Among the great cast of musicians to grace the root of Tuku Music is Mokoomba, a huge ensemble from the West, Matabeleland.

Mokoomba lead guitarist Trust Samende said the group is elated to be part OMIFA’s first edition, a big stepping stone in remembrance of a legend in the stature of Oliver Mtukudzi.

‘We are excited to perform at the first edition of the Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of Arts. It’s an important event to remember the great work that the late legend did to promote the arts and to promote the best of Zimbabwe at home and abroad.’

The festival, directed and led by Samantha Mtukudzi daughter to the late will also see Jah Prayzah, Gemma Griffiths, Feli Nandi, Bryan K and a host of artists do what they know best on stage.

The late Oliver Mtukudzi’s legacy boasts of international appearances and massive appearances on honored musical events but his devotion was to elevate talent from Norton.

In that stature OMIFA will also encompass promising talent from Norton including Vazukuru VeAfrica, The Black Spirits featuring Mbeu, Innosaint Sax only to mention but a few.

The two day festival comes with a big opportunity for other arts and culture talents to showcase their talent performances and productions in Music Theatre curated by SunTu Guild & Thomas Brickhill (Chikwata 263), fashion curated by the Skeyi & Strobo Fabrik Party, Art, dance and film curated by First Floor Gallery Harare, spoken word by Sibonokuhle Siwawa (Skai) plus a children’s program curated by Precious Children’s Arts Organization (PICA) as well as a series of workshops and masterclasses for creatives.