Malawian musician dropped by UK promoters for homophobic comments

A musician and lawmaker from Malawi Lucius Banda has been dropped by Grajog, his British promoter, because of homophobic comments made on Christmas Eve 2015.

Banda, a self-proclaimed ‘Soldier of the Poor’, is a Balaka North legislator and musician. He had signed a contract with Grajoh Talent Management to tour the UK during Easter holidays, where he would perform with Zambia’s Mampi Mukape.

However, Banda cut short a show at Zithere Pano in Mangochi on 24 December 2015 after he saw two men embracing in the audience. Human rights activists responded by calling him a homophobe and when Banda refused Grajoh’s request for him to apologise, he was dropped from the tour.

The Easter Fusion tour will visit Manchester, Leicester and London from 26 March to 2 April. Banda will be replaced on the UK tour by Malawi musicians Lulu, Skeffa Chimoto and Dan Lu.

‘[They] will perform along Uganda’s Lily Kyeyune & Jamal Wasswa and Zambia’s Mampi Mukape,’ said Johnson Mujungu of Grajoh.

‘It’s always sensational connecting with the fans out there,’ Lulu said, who first visited the UK in 2009.

The line-up will also include popular Ugandan artists Bobi Wine, Ghetto President and Nubianli Buken Ali.

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About Kim X

Vada Magazine staff writer and daydreamer.