As preparations for the much anticipated 2019 Stanbic Music Festival get into the home stretch, the steady stream of prominent sponsors for the show piece is picking up momentum with building material giant Lafarge Zambia pouring K100,000 into the successful hosting of the event.
Stanbic and Lafarge have jointly announced their co-sponsorship of this year’s event, which will be headlined by American Grammy Award-winner Brandy and Afrobeats Nigerian sensation Davido.
Speaking during the cheque handover at Lafarge Offices in Lusaka on September 18, 2019, Lafarge Zambia Director of Marketing and Strategy Giovanni Murialdo said the cement manufacturer was happy to be part of the event as it tied in well with Lafarge’s commercial sponsorships policy.
He said, by co-sponsoring the Stanbic Music Festival, it confirms how keen the company is to participate in community activities that are bent on uplifting the welfare of the Zambian people through art and social development.
“We are confident that the sponsorship of K100,000 will help promote our local artists who will also be sharing the stage with the international head liners.”
In a statement made available to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Mr Murialdo added that Lafarge is proud to see the likes of Mampi, who will be the only local female artist during this year’s event saying that Lafarge Zambia carries a strong belief in female empowerment.
And, Stanbic Bank Zambia Director of Corporate and Investment Banking Helen Lubamba said Lafarge’s support would go a long way in making the event a success. She said aside being the country’s leading company in the construction sector, Lafarge has a long history of promoting and supporting arts in Zambia.
“We are happy to have Lafarge on board in sponsoring this prestigious event. Your support will go a long way in ensuring we keep our promise of making this year’s event bigger and better than last year’s,” She said.
Similarly, the Music Festival is one of the many ways Stanbic gives back to the community and assist with the development of the arts and music in Zambia. Since its inception six years ago, the Stanbic Music festival has been graced by several international icons including, Boyz II Men, UB40, Hugh Masekela and Oliver M’tukudzi music legends gone too soon. Mi Casa, Earl Klugh and Zonke as well as a host of top local artistes including gospel RnB sensation Abel Chungu Musuka, contemporary RnB singer K’millian, singer, writer and guitarist James Sakala, Zambia’s hottest Hip Hop sensation Chef 187, the legendary Izrael and electric violinist Caitlin DeVille among several others.
