It was definitely not the best way organisers wished to launch Unveil Africa Fest in Kigali, but due to ‘unforeseen circumstances,’ the festival got cancelled midway. Held at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village on Saturday, December 7, Unveil Africa Fest was organised to celebrate Rwandan culture and music. Things, however, took a turn when a number of artistes on the lineup failed to show up on stage. ALSO READ: Unveil Africa Fest is here to celebrate cultural heritage-organisers The festival had started on a good note, with performances from the likes of renowned Burundian drummers Himbaza Club, Intayoberana cultural troupe, Siboyintore and J-Sha. Revelers were eager to enjoy more music from Victor Rukotana, Ruti Joel and Chris Neat were among artistes who were also expected to perform. However, after close to an hour waiting for the next performer, MC Luckman Nzeyimana announced sudden cancellation of the festival at around 11pm, leaving revelers frustrated and disappointed. We came here to watch Chris Neat, Ruti Joel, and Victor Rukotana perform. That’s what we paid our money for, and now it's just been cancelled?” lamented one Jonathan Ineza in an interview with The New Times. “They could better have cancelled it before it even started and informed us about the way forward than just doing this to us! Who else will even trust them (organsiers) next time and attend their events?” he added. The New Times understands that some artistes, including Chris Neat, refused to perform because they had not received their due payment. The singer claimed that organisers “made me lose a lot” although she could not share more details. Organisers speak out... Unveil Africa Fest had shown signs of producing an unforgettable night of cultural celebration. But due to what they described as unforeseen circumstances it ended in a disappointing way, raising questions about the event's organisation and management. “We apologise to fans who were unable to see their favourite artistes due to unforeseen circumstances and remain committed to delivering high standards in future events,” reads part of a statement issued by Unveil Africa Fest management on Sunday, December 8.
