Why Sauti za Busara continues to be a unique festival

Unguja. The 20 the edition of the Sauti za Busara festival  is set to kick off on Friday February 10, and Stone Town and its environs is bracing for three nights of African music under the African skies at the Old Fort ( Ngome Kongwe).

There is plenty of activity in the iconic venue with thousands of tickets already sold out to visitors that come from almost every corner of the globe.

“Twenty years can be such a long time but for us at Sauti za Busara and our partners we have stuck with the core values that gave birth to this festival in 2023 and in the process preserving our unique identity,” said Yusuf Mahmoud, the festival director.

Though most of its founders have died and others left to pursue other  causes, the core values of promoting African music remains unchanged.

For the first time in a very long time the festival features a line-up of artistes from every part of the vast African Continent, from the Maghreb North to the far south, with most of the artistes performing for the first time in Zanzibar.

“Artiste selection has always been one of our major strengths over the years, artists whose music are truly African.  This being our 20th we have made efforts to bring different musical tastes that represent the diversity of Africa. This is what Sauti za Busara has always been about,” said festival director.

This year’s festival is run under the theme ‘our diversity, our wealth’ (Tofauti Zetu Utajiri wetu).

“The line-up this year include Tiken Jah Fakoly, from Ivory Coast, who is widely known as Africa’s greatest reggae star, and BCUC, from Soweto South Africa, among other top acts that will grace the festival with their unique tunes.”

He added: Most of the musicians that come to these festivals are not those that you hear of on a daily basis but they have always brought the house down, leaving those in attendance in awe.

As a result of this diversity, the festival has become a melting pot of cultures where communities from every part of the world meet and share lasting memories.

“When people come to Sauti za Busara, they leave with memories from the performances and the island which last for many years and some have gone on to forge working relationships that continue to other aspects of their lives,” said Mr Mahmoud.

Though the festival has in recent years faced years all that has been achieved wouldn’t have been possible without the helping hand of the partners.

“We have had several partners who have kept the festival alive even when we contemplated to close our doors due to lack of funding, these include embassies, Hotels, Banks, Real estate developers, Banks, Telecom companies and the government”