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| Entertainment |
| Malawi triumphs at Crossroads |
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by
Felix Malamula, 02 May 2006
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08:01:10
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The news from Maputo, Mozambique, venue of this year’s Southern Africa Music Crossroads International finals, is sweet. One of the Malawi’s two representatives to the finals, Conga Vibes, has emerged the best band.
Speaking in a telephone interview soon after being declared champions, Assistant Arts Officer in the Department of Youth, Sports and Culture, James Thole, said the boys put up a brilliant performance that swayed the judges.
“Conga Vibes have emerged the number one band and the journey to Europe is now certain,” disclosed a seemingly jovial Thole from Maputo.
Thole said Conga is expected to tour five or six European countries for coming out best in the festivals which attracted six countries—South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Malawi and the hosts, Mozambique.
He, however, said the European countries to be toured are yet to be identified.
Thole said although the country’s other representative to the festival, St Francis Band, did not fare very well, one of their members, whose name he could not remember, was voted best guitarist and went away with a guitar.
Conga Vibes and St Francis Band represented the country in Mozambique after emerging the best in the national finals that were held on January 15, this year.
The triumph of Conga Vibes is just a fulfilment of a promise the group’s secretary, Ephraim Nankumba, made soon after his group was voted one of the national champions.
Nankumba promised not to embarrass the country but impress everybody in Mozambique and equal the record set by Tikhu Vibrations in 2003.
“We will not embarrass the country. In fact, our eyes are set beyond Mozambique. We are set to reach Sweden after emerging the best in Mozambique,” Nankumba told The Nation in January.
By being the international champions, Conga Vibes have equalled the record set by Tikhu Vibrations who emerged champions in a similar event three years ago and toured Sweden for achieving this rare feat.
The second slot went to a Zambian group.
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