Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofum [email protected]
A major shift is taking place in Nkayi District, Matabeleland North. Recent data suggests that the Imiklomelo KaDakamela Culture Festival, once a modest local gathering, has exploded into a regional powerhouse, with attendance figures more than doubling from 4 000 last year to a staggering 9 000 this year.
As the dust settles on this year’s festivities, one message is clear: the festival is no longer merely a celebration of heritage; it is a formidable economic engine. For the people of Nkayi, the opportunity to move from spectators to entrepreneurs has never been more real.
Celebrated culinary expert and UN Tourism Special Ambassador for Gastronomy, Carl Joshua Ncube, has been at the forefront of advocating for this transformation. Through his “Rural AirBnB” initiative, Ncube has drafted a visionary roadmap for festival organiser Chief Mbusi Dakamela, designed to attract global investors and professionalise the local tourism sector.
In an earnest open letter to the Chief, whom he described as “the man whose stature is tall enough to see above the clouds,” Ncube outlined a 10-point strategy to elevate the region. Central to this vision is the establishment of a Throne Room Media Hub and a Digital Kingdom, ensuring that the Dakamela narrative is celebrated globally through a dedicated website and weekly broadcasts.
Ncube emphasised the “Rural BnB Community Task”, which empowers villagers to build home-stays meeting the “Rural BnB Africa 7-point standard”. This guarantees that while the setting remains traditional and authentic, service is world-class.
“There is a need to empower villagers to build rural BnBs, creating a culture where the more we build, the more visitors we attract to our heritage,” wrote Ncube.
The festival’s infrastructure, from standardised Rural BnBs to private bathrooms, he feels, will determine how much of the wealth generated stays within Nkayi.
On the awards showcase, where Chief Dakamela honours individuals, groups and institutions for excellence in community development, cultural preservation and other fields, Ncube, designer of the National Arts Merit Awards gong, suggested transforming the Dakamela Award into a globally recognisable symbol of excellence.
“Transform the Dakamela Award into a globally recognisable symbol of excellence that carries weight far beyond our borders,” he urged.
He also highlighted the need to appoint koDakamela ambassadors, locals already promoting Nkayi internationally, giving them tools to become the region’s official voices.
In addition, he recommended launching a comprehensive Dakamela website and synchronised social media channels to ensure the festival’s digital footprint matches its physical impact.
Ncube’s vision stretches beyond the festival dates. Among his proposals is “Dakamela FC and Sports Tourism”, a local sports facility anchored by an annual exhibition match between the “Chiefs’ Royal 11” and “Highlanders Legends”, creating a year-round attraction fuelled by kit sales and memorabilia.
DJ Mapressa, another passionate cultural advocate who attended the event, also highlighted the economic potential for Nkayi. He pointed to the desperate need for basic services such as accommodation and sanitation. During the festival, visitors reportedly paid US$10 (R200) to sleep in neighbouring homes. Due to high demand, some spent US$20 (R400) for simple luxuries like a teapot of tea or a home-cooked meal.
DJ Mapressa’s math is simple: if 40 visitors pay US$10 for a bath, a household can make US$400 (approx. R6 800) from a basic facility.
“It was US$10 to bath in cold water for two of us. Next year, people in Nkayi should buy materials and make makeshift private bathrooms. I’ll mobilise clients for them who will come with me for the 2027 edition,” he said.
The Dakamela narrative is no longer just about celebrating the past; it is about creating a future where heritage and hospitality meet. For the people of Nkayi, the platform has been set, visitors bring the capital, and the call is simple: “Seize the hour”.
