Ahead of the upcoming December edition, Madaraka Festival organizers are set to announce the performers roster anytime from now.
CEO Simon Javan Okelo will take over his hometown of Kisumu in a where it all began for him. “I grew up in the slums of Manyatta in Kisumu, Kenya, serving as the Field Director of Solace International and Co-Director of the Young Generation Centre from 2002-2010 where I directed humanitarian projects in Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, and South Sudan. I also worked as a DJ and producer, organizing Unite The People concerts in 2008 in the wake of post-election violence and founding One Vibe Africa,” He told The Sauce in a past interview.
The festival, the first of its kind in Kenya, is slated for December 14. Earlier this year, a US Madaraka Festival tour was cancelled following visa issues with some of the headlining artistes.
Since its inception a decade ago, Madaraka Festival has cemented its place as a cultural fixture for Kenyans in the diaspora, seeing as it is the first East African festival in America. Since 2014, the festival has been headlined by renowned names in music including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Sauti Sol, Blitz The Ambassador, Rocky Dawuni, Meklit Hadero, Nik West, Naomi Wachira and Karun, to name but a few.
Proceeds from Madaraka Festival go towards One Vibe Africa’s Education Music and Art Program that provides music education across East Africa where it has served over 5,000 youth.
Which performers will make the bill at the December edition. Keep it here to find out.
