Botswana’s Shumba relishing East Africa tour

Botswana’s traditional music icon Shumba Ratshega is relishing his East Africa tours with dates in Tanzania and Uganda set for July.
The Gaborone-based musician returned from Tanzania on Sunday after finalising the tour specifics.

Shumba, whose real names are Moses Malatela, is billed to stage 30 shows in the two countries.
“I’ve just returned from East Africa. I got back yesterday (Sunday) and everything is set. I’ll be performing in Tanzania and Uganda on the in July in about 30 shows,” he told Africa Review.
Shumba was in Tanzania two years ago and after his visit to Dar-es-Salaam, Makhirikhiri (crooks) became a major hit in the streets of Dar and got lots of airplay on the country’s radio stations. So popular is the song in Tanzania that Botswana’s traditional music has been christened after it.

This will be the first time he stages a show in Uganda and he is excited at the prospect.

Sandanda

But before he makes the trip, he will have to do some massive marketing of his DVD for his latest album Sandanda.
“My DVD will be in the market at the beginning of next month. As I speak, they are cutting it in South Africa. I had to do it that side because they produce quality, when you look at the DVDs they make, you can see it is original,” he said.

The album name and the title track Sandanda is a fictional moniker derived from one of the characters in his eight-track album. Shumba sounds enthusiastic about the DVD and is convinced it will live up to expectations.

Some of the songs in the album which have been put on video include A re becheng, Bechuanaland, Africa, Lorato, Utwang and Mmabana.
Shumba intends to sell the DVDs during the tour.

Initially, the shows had been pencilled in for Easter holidays, but the promoters moved the shows to July.
Shumba said he had also received enquiries from Kenya where he is likely to perform before the end of the year.

Shumba has four albums to his name; Makhirikhiri, Kuka Ntsu (Take her somewhere), Le Ya Kae (Where are you going) and Sandanda.