2017-09-22Staff Report 2 Pinehas Nakaziko Windhoek-Since returning home earlier this month after five months in the United Kingdom, former Bullet Concert Group lead singer, Kanjax ‘Kakoto’ Zemburuka, has seen no rest with his diary fully booked for the rest of the year. A branch of the Red Flag Association in the UK invited Kakoto to the country and he went there as part of the local Red Flag Association to officially launch the branch there. He made a name for himself, and left his footprint after his electrifying performances on different occasions. Initially Kakoto was only meant to stay in the UK for a weekend to perform at the official opening, but ended up staying there for almost five months because of his excellent performance on the night of the opening on April 29. “The Ovaherero association based there requested him to stay there for another five months and he performed all over the UK in locations such as Bristol, Manchester and other centres,” says Joseph Kauandenge, his manager. Kakoto says he has learnt a great deal while in the UK, as far as the professionalism required of an artist is concerned. “UK artists are very professional. They don’t abuse drugs or alcohol as many of my peers here do, and I have also learnt from the artist I have shared the stage with how to behave and conduct myself while performing,” Kakoto says. He also learnt that music is a very short career hence that artist should invest their money in something profitable so that they can look after themselves when they can’t perform or sing anymore. “The whole UK experience has opened up my mind to so many opportunities that I will grab with both hands.” Apart from that, Kakoto says he also made many connections with not only artists from Britain, but also from other African countries who reside in the UK as well. “We have exchanged contact numbers, and anything is possible in terms of future collaborations,” he explains. Since his return at the end of last month, the artist has been a much-sought-after item having already preformed two big shows, one at the Okakarara Trade Fair music bash on September 8 which was fully packed. Last weekend he performed at Corridor 13 in the Aminuis Constituency and says that for the rest of the year his calendar is fully booked. Kakoto was the star attraction when Bullet released hit songs such as ‘Zemburuka’ and ‘Ombura’ some years ago, as the group with its trademark traditional Ovahimba traditional attire rose to fame. In May 2014, his right leg was amputated after his feet started swelling and remained in that condition for almost a year without any medical attention. When he finally made it to the doctors there was no other option except for the doctors to amputate his leg as the infection was too advanced. Kakoto went solo in 2014, performing with one leg for almost two years until last year when his new management managed acquire an artificial leg for him. “This shows that disability does not need not to prevent anyone from doing what he or she really wants to do,” Kauandenge says. He adds that the mere fact that Kakoto is performing with an artificial leg has also drawn many people towards him.” Kakoto will release his new much- anticipated album end of October, and there is another standing invitation for him to go back to the UK in November for another show. 2017-09-22Staff Report 2
