UPCOMING Mbira musician Hope Masike will share stage with African legend Salif Keïta at this year’s edition of the Harare International Festival of Arts, HIFA.
The event, which started on the 28th April and ends on the 3rd of May is running under the theme “Articulate’.
Associate Executive Director of the HIFA committee responsible for organizing the event, Tafadzwa Simba, told NewZimbabwe.com in Harare, Thursday, that Keita had confirmed his participation at the event whose preparations are at an advanced stage.
“We are going to have Salif Keita closing the show with Hope Masike, after the event was opened by a group called Mukumba from Victoria Falls.”
Keita, 66, was in the country in 2010. The Mali-born star closed that year’s HIFA edition and was forced to go well beyond his scheduled performing time after due overwhelming requests from fans.
Simba said, this year, they would give more local artists a chance to showcase what Zimbabwe has in terms of history, culture and heritage as suggested by their theme.
“We want to communicate our country’s heritage, through the arts.
“This is also going to be the chance to reflect on our history and future to the international community,” he said.

Upcoming mbira star … Hope Masike