WITH elections around the corner, politicians will soon be courting artistes to create campaign anthems. But while musicians are highly sought after during political rallies, the Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM) laments that the arts sector consistently receives less than 1 percent of the national budget. As Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane prepares to present the 2026 National Budget on the 26th of this month, ZAM president Brian Bwembya says the association will be watching closely. In a series of recent Facebook posts, Bwembya highlighted the contradiction of politicians relying on artistes for visibility while simultaneously neglecting the sector’s financial needs. “Artistes will soon be important again during campaigns, yet in the national budget, the arts sector’s budgetary allocation is always...
