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Leonard Ncube, Online Reporter

KWESEKA, an Afro-fusion group from Victoria Falls are the Matabeleland North Chibuku Road to Fame 2023 champions after emerging winners at the provincial competitions held on Saturday.

Dubbed Cula Sizwe/Super Star, the contest which has been running for years, was held at Chinotimba Old bar.

Initially 10 groups were supposed to compete but Simunye of Victoria Falls pulled out last minute after a group member lost a relative to death and nine groups participated.

Defending champions Shantani from Hwange who finished 3rd in last year’s national finals, were relegated to second place after scoring 149 points, against Kweseka’s 175.

Shantani with Delta Beverages representatives

Walk of Life also from Victoria Falls finished 3rd with 148 points and all the top three are afro fusion groups.

The other groups were Shining Stars who finished 4th with just a point behind 3rd placed group, General Chimoto and ATV who finished 9th, Bandlab (7th), Express Chimurenga (6th), Zambezi Crew (5th), Extra Joy (8th).

Walk of Life with Delta Beverages representatives

Over the years the competition was dominated by sungura and Afro-jazz fusion music and is now open for other genres such as Zim-dancehall, hip-hop and other contemporary tastes.

There was a mixture of genres in Victoria Falls.

National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) is organising the provincial event Shangano Arts Trust in support.

The competition is a partnership between NACZ and Delta Beverages, with the former being the technical partner, while the latter is the sponsor.

It is a perfect platform for budding groups to showcase themselves while also exhibiting talent in local culture through music and dance.

This is a music talent search programme that targets youths aged between 18 and 35.

The groups should not have recorded an album before and should have between five and eight members, according to organisers.

However, there are some groups that have participated for many successive years and some are one-man bands who quickly assemble friends for the sake of competing and dismantling afterwards.

The dates for the national finals will be announced in due course.