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Partson Chimboza, director of Chipaz Music Promotion, said by promoting local musicians, the promoters will be contributing to the growth of the arts industry in the city.
“Bulawayo promoters have a problem of promoting foreign artistes at the expense of local talent and as such musicians find it difficult to survive in the city,” said Chimboza.
The music promoter was in the city for the Bulawayo Shut Down gig which brought together Oliver Mtukudzi, Alick Macheso, Jeys Marabini and Peter Moyo.

“A lot of DJs from South Africa are being promoted by local            promoters yet we have abundant talent here,” said Chimboza.
He said promoters and local musicians should join hands to grow the industry so that at the end of the day they both benefit.

“Promoters should not just be after making money but should also assist in grooming up-and-coming musicians,” he said.
Chimboza said from the time he started the business of promoting musicians, he had helped to groom more than four artistes who are now big in the music industry.

“Promoting a musician is like making a long term investment that will pay after a long time.
“From the time I started promoting music I have been able to work with Sulumani Chimbetu, Jah Prayzer, Kapfupi and Romeo Gasa. I worked with these guys for more than two years and look at them today, they are now big in the music industry,” he said.

Chimboza said local promoters should fuse foreign with local talent at their shows as a way of giving the locals the platform to market themselves and grow.
“I have told myself that I will never promote foreign talent and that is my policy because I have local musicians at heart.

“As for those who want to promote foreign talent they should include local talent at the shows for the sake of keeping our music industry alive,” he said. Chimboza said he had already started promoting Bulawayo musicians.

“In Bulawayo there are artistes like Jeys who are talented and I would love to work with them even back in Harare,” he said.