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Showbiz Correspondent
CONFUSION continues to reign over the hosting of the Victoria Falls International Cultural Festival (VicFest) which failed to take off earlier this month after organisers failed to raise funds.
The festival which was meant to run from August 6 to 11 in the resort town was cancelled a week before as organisers failed to source funds for it. It has now been moved to September 3 to 7.
According to the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) the festival was a no show because organisers had not registered with the-*m.
Festival director Mish Nyakudarika confirmed they had not registered the festival but were in the process of doing so.
“The festival is still taking place but we just experienced unforeseen constraints that I cannot divulge. I am in the process of registering the festival and all hope is not lost,” he said.
It also surfaced that organisers of the event were advertising the show using names of top artistes, Busi Ncube, Dudu Manhenga, Prudence Kathomeni-Mbofana, and Victor Kunonga yet none of them had been offered a contract to perform.
“No artiste has been offered contracts by the festival to perform,” Nyakudarika said.
Contacted for comment Kunonga said he was angered by the fact that organisers of the festival were advertising the event using their names yet they had not signed contracts.
He said the organisers went silent on signing contracts when the initial festivals’ dates drew closer.
“I was approached three months ago by Blessing Muparutsa with the proposal of performing at the VicFest. I cleared my schedule, but as the days drew closer, the organisers went quiet.
“They started advertising in the media saying I was billed to perform yet I hadn’t signed a contract with them,” said Kunonga.
Asked if he was going to perform next month, Kunonga professed ignorance saying he had no idea that new dates had been set for the festival.
“I am hearing these new dates from you. I have not been informed as an artiste by the organisers and I am surprised that the dates were moved,’ he said.
Online Reporter