Kidum is considered as the most successful Burundian musician, he fled the country in 1995 during the civil war to seek refuge in Kenya where he developed his talent as a professional musician in Nairobi after writing his first song in 1999. PHOTO| Kidum Management.
Burundi’s famous musician Jean Pierre Nimbona known by his stage name Kidum cancelled his show that was slated for September 27th in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, the musician said that he wasn’t cleared by relevant authorities to be part of the gig.
“Sorry my Kigali Fans! For the reasons I don’t know yet it looks like I am not cleared by the relevant authorities to be part of this month’s show and maybe other shows in future am not sure,” said Kidum.
Kidum is considered as the most successful Burundian musician, he fled the country in 1995 during the civil war to seek refuge in Kenya where he developed his talent as a professional musician in Nairobi after writing his first song in 1999.
Kidum was named the best male artist of East Africa at the 2012 Kora awards and named as an ambassador for peace a position that helps foster hope and reconciliation in East Africa.
After more than two years of no show in Burundi when the political crisis erupted in 2015, he made his return to his home country in 2016, making a country wide tour spreading the message of peace through concerts.
His return to perform in the country was heavily criticized by the political opposition in exile accusing the musician of supporting the incumbent President Nkurunziza’s government.
Kidum rubbished the accusation saying that he was not into politics but rather the entertainment industry while spreading peace countrywide.
Burundi-Rwanda relations
Though recently Kidum freely made shows in Kigali, analysts say that the current deteriorating relation between Burundi and Rwanda could be behind the omission of his performance this month in Kigali.
Burundi and Rwanda relation deteriorated since 2015 when Burundi accused Rwanda of masterminding the 2015 failed coup to oust president Nkurunziza’s government. In return Rwanda accuses Burundi of sheltering the FDLR rebels who are accused of committing the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
In December last year, Rwanda’s top RnB artist Ngabo Medard Jobert a.k.a Meddy canceled his show in Burundi at a last minute citing security issues as he was advised by Kigali.
Medddy is among the artists whose music is widely listened in Burundi, the artist was born in 1989 in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura and studied his primary and high school education in the capital, the artist’s father Sindayihebura Alphonse is a Burundian and a mother from Rwanda.