Thirty Burundian musicians from inside and outside the country addressed last week a correspondence to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport asking him to replace the current representative of the Burundian Musicians’ Association.They accuse him of leading this association more than 13 years illegally.
Bruno Simbavimbere, current representative of the Burundian Musicians Association: “The 30 musicians who claim my replacement mean nothing compared to more than 400 existing Burundian musicians”
“We need new representatives of the Burundian Musicians’ Association that we will have elected ourselves. Bruno Simbavimbere, nicknamed Memba has run this institution illegally for more than 13 years. We asked him to organize the elections of our representatives but he didn’t want, “says Jean Pierre Nimbona, also known as Kidumu currently living in Nairobi and one of the most famous Burundian musicians, who signed the correspondence sent to the Minister.
For Nimbona, Burundian music has not improved because this representative of the Burundian Musicians ‘Association has not been competent in his work. “We want representatives we trust and who are able to gather Burundian musicians in order to promote Burundian music,” says Nimbona.
He also says Simbavimbere was appointed to represent the Burundian Musicians’ Association provisionally. “But he does not want to leave the post,” he says.
Simbavimbere, the current representative of the Burundian Musicians’ Association, says the 30 musicians who claim his replacement mean nothing compared to more than 400 existing Burundian musicians. “I work legally as I was elected in 2005. All that these thirty musicians want is to destabilize us”, Simbavimbere says.
Léonard Sinzinkayo, Director General of Culture and Art ,says he will give his opinion over the matter after he has examined the issue. He confirms he saw the correspondence of the Burundian musicians to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport.
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