PREPARATIONS are at an advanced stage for Bira Rembira to be held on September 27 at the Heritage Village in Harare.
The event is billed to be the peak of the Mbira Month commemorations, which are traditionally held every September in Zimbabwe.
The mbira instrument, which has been listed as tangible heritage for Zimbabwe and Malawi by the United Nations, is also set to be a unifier as a creative guild of mbira musicians from Malawi will feature at Bira Rembira, where there will be a wide array of mbira and music from traditional and contemporary musicians.
Headlining Bira Rembira is Mbira Dzenharira, Jah Prayzah, Feli Nandi, Andy Muridzo, Duramanzwi, Nzombehuru, Kurai Makore, Vee Mhofu, Texas Tekenya, Sarungano and Sir Lino Piloto, as well as lots of other surprises.
The event is being organised by Chipaz Promotions, the Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation ministry.
Partson “Chipaz” Chimboza, of Chipaz Promotions, said Bira Rembira started as a humble idea to bring people together through the spiritual and cultural power of mbira.
“We realised there was a gap in celebrating our traditional instruments and this event was born to bridge that and in the process fusing community, culture and creativity into one celebration. Over the years, it has grown into a national movement,” he said.
“This year is very special because it marks the closing ceremony of Mbira Month, which has been full of workshops, school programmes and performances.
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“We’re proud to be hosting it at Heritage Village, a symbolic venue that represents the blending of modern Zimbabwe with its roots. The line-up this year is also a powerful mix of legends and rising stars.”
Chipaz added that the Mbira Month was about reclaiming and celebrating our musical heritage.
“As Chipaz Promotions, our role has been to provide platforms for artistes, mobilise resources and ensure visibility for the events across various media. We want mbira to be more than a memory it should be an everyday experience,” he explained.
“We are very intentional about curating a line-up that honours both traditional mbira custodians like musicians from Malawi, Mbira Dzenharira and contemporary artistes like Jah Prayzah who are innovating with the instrument. The idea is not to choose sides, but to showcase mbira’s versatility and evolution.”
Bira Rembira Festival has recruited Benjamin Nyandoro and Diana Samkange as project director and co-ordinator, respectively to build momentum and structures to match international festivals.
Chipaz believes authenticity and modernisation of mbira go hand-in-hand and asserts that fusion is not dilution and, instead, adaptation.
“The mbira has always been a living instrument. What Jah Prayzah or Feli Nandi is doing is taking the spirit of mbira to global spaces. As long as the essence remains, we see it as growth, not loss.
“Mbira music has traditionally thrived in spiritual and communal spaces, but now we’re pushing it commercially through strategic partnerships, digital platforms, and merchandise. We’re also working to get more mbira music on streaming services and radio playlists.
“Mbira is not just a sound; it’s a way of life. You’ll see fashion inspired by traditional Shona aesthetics, dances rooted in ancestral rhythms and even cuisine that ties into the experience. At Bira Rembira, we don’t just want you to hear mbira, we want you to live it.”
With the vision to make Bira Rembira a global event, Chipaz has noticed that there is still a lot of work to be done, adding that many young people see mbira as outdated or link it to rituals hence through festivals like Bira Rembira and outreach programmes, mbira is being rebranded as something cool, spiritual and proudly Zimbabwean.
“The youth must carry this legacy forward. Our dream is to make Bira Rembira from this September 27 become a continental, even global event, a kind of ‘Afro-Mbira Fest’ that draws people from all over the world to experience Zimbabwean culture,” he said.
“We also want to set up a Mbira Museum and Academy in the future. This is just the
beginning.”
