The ghosts from last year’s KigaliUp music festival are back to haunt organisers, even with preparations for this year’s edition already taking shape.
Last month, organisers announced July 26-28 as the dates for this year’s edition that will take place at the Amahoro National Stadium grounds. On the festival lineup are names like Ivorian musician Alpha Blondy, who was a no-show last year, Kenny Wesley and the Soulful Nerd (US), Annet Nandujja (Uganda), Third Eye and Lulu (Malawi), and Joey Blake (US).
Local acts scheduled to grace the stage include reggae musician Jah Bone D, Active, Phionah Mbabazi, Danny Nanone and Jody Phibi.
In one of its dullest years since the festival’s inception in 2011, last year’s edition ended in disappointment, as the intended crowning artiste, the Ivorian international reggae act Alpha Blondy failed to show up.
Earlier, organisers had raised expectations by announcing Angelique Kidjo and Alicia Keys as the expected headliners, but later settled for Alpha Blondy.
But the first signs of trouble had emerged when organisers pushed the festival from July to August.
At the show, one of the international headliners, Nigerian dancehall musician Patoranking resorted to CD playback, at a festival that prides itself on an authentic live music format.
Now, a local Tours and Travel company that partnered with the festival last year is up in arms, accusing organisers of defaulting on a loan.
The company, Sky Travel Ltd, accuses KigaliUp organisers of defaulting on payment of credit advanced to it (KigaliUp) towards meeting travel expenses for festival performers that were flown in from abroad.
According to a contract whose copy was seen by this newspaper, and dated August 14, 2017, the total credit extended to the festival was $44,207 (roughly Rwf38.6 million)out of which the client(KigaliUp) agreed to pay $15,000 (Rwf13m) upfront, while the balance would be paid by post dated cheque on August 31, 2017.
The agreement further stated that a daily penalty of 2 per cent would be charged on the balance due if the payment exceeded the August 31, 2017 deadline.
On top of the $15,000 down payment, festival organisers later paid another $2,000 (Rwf1.7m), bringing the total payment to $17,000 (Rwf14.8m), according to Jean Claude Nzaramba, the Managing Director of Sky Travel Ltd, the complainant.
"But now it is one year and it is big money and he cannot clear and he’s not even showing any goodwill,” lamented Jean Claude Nzaramba, the Managing Director of Sky Travel Ltd in reference to Jacques Murigande, commonly known as Mighty Popo, who signed the agreement on behalf of KigaliUp, his brainchild.
"I’ve been playing hide and seek with him since then. He does not pick my calls.”
Nzaramba further revealed that the money was advanced to KigaliUp to cover flights for three performers and their respective entourages, Ismaël Lô, Patoranking, and Alpha Blondy.
"He (Popo) gave me the names of people and their itineraries and said he wanted credit. At that time I could not handle the total cost of the tickets because it was around $50,000 (Rwf43m). So I contacted another partner, Satguru Travels, to give him the service.”
Meanwhile, Kigaliup teamed up with Orangekat, a business development company in an apparent bid to boost the festival’s credit worthiness.
An agreement was signed between KigaliUp and Orangekat Ltd on the one hand, and Satguru Travels and Tour Services and Sky Travel Ltd on the other.
In the agreement, KigaliUp is represented by Jacques Murigande and Orangekat by Andreas Noerlem Christensen (authorised signatories for the agreement).
On their part, Satguru Travels and Tour Services was represented by Bharat Tolani, the Country Manager (authorised signatory for the purpose of the agreement), and Sky Travel Ltd, represented by Nzaramba.
When reached for comment, Mighty Popo sounded dismissive of the claims, describing them as a "lie”.
"Complaint to The New Times? Why not the police?” Popo ranted in one of his responses, adding: "Those are people who would like to break KigaliUp. Don’t get caught in that game.”
Later, Popo seemed to back down a bit, assuming a rather conciliatory tone and asking that he be allowed to respond to the issue after this year’s festival is over.
editorial@newtimes.co.rw