Zanzibar: Sauti za Busara activates environmental drive

Festival founder Yusuf Mahmoud, who was recently named the new chairperson of the Music In Africa Foundation, said the campaign would increase awareness through dialogue and educational drives on the dangers of ocean pollution, single-use plastic, deforestation, overfishing and other regional concerns.

Mahmoud is among the key African advocates for action on climate change through the Music Declares Emergency global initiative. The organisation is led by a group of music organisations and professionals under the slogan ‘No Music on a Dead Planet’. 

“As organisers, we believe our primary responsibility is to ensure the festival impacts widely in bringing tangible benefits for Tanzanian society at large,” he said. “While bringing together people of different backgrounds in unity and celebration, we keep our cultural heritage alive and focus on activities that build knowledge and skills and generate income for local people, especially women, youth and marginalised communities.”

This year’s festival will take place at the Old Fort in Stone Town, Zanzibar, on 12 and 13 February. Artist’s billed for the event include Tofa Boy (Zanzibar), Siti Muharam (Zanzibar), Dawda Jobarteh (Gambia), Richie Lumambo (Tanzania), Sandra Nankoma (Uganda), Djam (Algeria), Dogo Fara (Reunion), Sika Kokoo (Ghana), Stone Town Rockerz (Zanzibar), Yugen Blakrok (South Africa), Morena Leraba (Lesotho) and Dulla Makabila (Tanzania), among others.

The festival will also host the Soko La Busara market, which celebrates the very best of Tanzanian cuisine.

Festival manager Journey Ramadhan said: “The festival’s focus has always been to showcase music with cultural identity and performed 100% live. For many years, we have been at the forefront of promoting Zanzibari and Tanzanian around the world, attracting international promoters and offering musicians opportunities to share their work with global audiences.”

Last year, SzB was one of the few African music festivals to hold an in-person event after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. For 2021, the organisers have undertaken additional health and safety measures to ensure the well-being of visitors and locals.

Tickets to Sauti za Busara 2021 are available here.