..While Maun Kwaito Kwasa Maestros Disappoints
Maun’s favourite Kwaito Kwasa maestros Velast, Obzetoh and Goareng Kelebogile have failed to covet first prizes at the National Arts Festival held at Maun Sports Complex this past weekend, much to the disappointment of their supporters who thronged to witness their performance. The day was saved for the region by Tshepang Fernando also known as VJ Quan who got position one in DJ’s category.
The trio performed under the Live Band, Best New Comer Live and Best New Comer Backtrack categories respectively. Onalekitso Sefofu also known as Velast got position 3 with 52 points, Obzetoh got position 4 with 42 points while Kelebogile also came 3rd with 44 points. Velast and Kelebogile pocketed P22 500 respectively while Obzetoh got P20 000.
VJ Quan shined at the competition scooping first position under the DJ’s Category, scoring 80% and pocketed P30 000.
Velast is one of the decorated artists in the competition having reached podium finish in all of them since 2008. The youthful artist recently took position one in Kasane at the regional competitions that qualified him for the nationals.
The last finals that was hosted in Gaborone in 2018, Velast got second position, first position in 2014 and also a first in 2016 at the nationals.
In an interview, Velast told The Weekender that he did not perform well because his main guitarist was hired by Franco to perform at his event over the weekend. He also blamed the organizing committee for having not allowed them to share guitarists during the competitions.
“There are few guitarists in Botswana therefore we need to share the few that we have so that we are able to perform well,” he lamented noting that in Maun, there are only eleven guitarists.
He said despite this, every group is required to have three guitarists, which is a challenge as there were more than seven groups that need guitarists in the competition. He stressed that all the best guitarist in Botswana are those from Zimbabwe and DRC who however are not allowed to perform in the competition.
Many of those that thronged the Maun sports complex were not amused at the result, as they expected Velast, Letra Afrigade, Xwala DaCash and Ghanzi Flavour to have made the top cut in their respect categories but the judges held a different view.
The Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture over the weekend hosted the National Arts Festival Competition across the country under the theme; ‘Creative industries: A vehicle for Sustainable Development.’
The programme was categorized in different artistic codes in which artists competed among themselves in the following; music song and dance, theatre, comedy, poetry, basketry, sculpting, Fine Arts among others. The strategy is meant to uplift and refine the artistic skills of the youth as well as remunerate them; it is also curbs idleness of youth in communities across the country.
Following the decision by the Ministry to decentralize National Arts Festival to Districts, MYSC-Maun office hosted the Contemporary Music and DJ’s.
For Best New Comer Live Category, the contestants included Lereko Lesole from Gaborone who scooped position one with 54 points, Letra Afrigade from Ghanzi (53), Obonye Solomon from Francistown (46) and lastly Obzetoh of Maun with 42 points.
The Best New Comer Backtrack Category was won by Mamphorwana a Tladi from Mabutsane with 46 points followed by Xwala DaCash from Ghanzi with 45points, Goareng Kelebogile from Maun scored 44 points while Kgomotsego Banamotse came fourth with 41 points.
The Live Band Category Kanvuthu from Francistown got position one with 60 points, Bongo Jazz Band from Ramotswa got 2nd position with 54 points and Maun’s Velast came 3rd position with 52 points while Ghanzi Flavour came 4th with 51 points.
DJ Quan of Maun won the DJ’s Category with 80% followed by Onkemetse Lydia Kgatiso from Tlokweng (60%), DJ The Guy from Hukuntsi (57%), Howard Ishmael from Francistown (46%), DJ Abistone from Hukuntsi (43%), Thato James from Palapye (41%), Obakeng Ditlhobolo from Lobatse (37%) while DJ Busman of Maun came last with 35%.
