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| Hugh Masekela in action |
It is with great regret that the Hugh Masekela show that was scheduled to take place over the weekend at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Dar es Salaam was cancelled at the last minute. The show was planned and organised by Full Circle Africa and Hugh Masekela was due to play three shows in East Africa namely Kampala - Uganda, Nairobi - Kenya and Dar es Salaam – Tanzania within a 4 day span in early June, 2011.
A decision was taken in May, 2011 by Full Circle Africa to defer the Uganda show to late July, and only to proceed with Kenya and Tanzania as initial countries. The show in Kenya successfully took place on Thursday 9 June 2011 with more than 1,600 people attending at the Nairobi Carnivore Restaurant, and the Dar es Salaam show was set to take place on Saturday 11 June, 2011.
Stanbic was Lead Sponsor in Tanzania and their sponsorship of USD15,000 amounted to 29% of Tanzania project costs with half this amount of USD7,500 paid in advance ahead of the show.
Full Circle Africa has successfully organised a number of concerts with international and regional artists at various hotels and venues over the last four years. This was the first time the company has organised a concert event at the Golden Tulip Hotel and a number of challenges were faced:
A technical problem pertaining to the power supply by the Golden Tulip Hotel. This forced the hiring of additional electrical equipment through third party vendors. Even though this issue was resolved, it subsequently left Hugh Masekela’s band with no time to test the equipment sufficiently to enable the performance to take place without compromising the standard of the music and sound that fans are accustomed.
Full Circle Africa was also forced to check the Masekela entourage out of the Golden Tulip Hotel and transfer the same to the Southern Sun Hotel on Friday evening on account of the non provision of a suite as specifically requested, and paid for in full by Full Circle Africa on Friday 10 June on arrival of entertainers in Dar es Salaam. Naturally the company incurred additional unbudgeted accommodation costs at Southern Sun Hotel.
Full Circle Africa further wishes to clarify that Mr. Hugh Masekela has been paid in full by Friday 10th June, 2011 an amount equivalent to two thirds (ie 66%) of the total fees originally agreed for three shows. An advance payment for the show to be done in Uganda in late July was requested for settlement as part of the Kenya / Tanzania tour, and though delayed was availed for release in the evening of Saturday 11 June.
This payment was not accepted by Hugh Masekela’s management, as the decision to not proceed with the Dar es Salaam show had already been taken by the Band. All other payments related to the tour including per diems, other fees, travel and hotel arrangements were met in full by Full Circle Africa.
All other suppliers related to this event have been paid according to agreements made.
We sincerely apologise to all our esteemed clients, sponsors, partners and fans for the inconveniences and disappointment that occurred following the cancellation of the show.
Full Circle Africa will be reimbursing tickets in the course of the week of 13 June, 2011. A further policy statement on the refund procedure will follow on Wednesday 15 June, 2011.
Full Circle Africa will also reimburse Stanbic in full the advance fee of USD7,500 even though this was invested in the project and will not be recovered by Full Circle Africa.
Full Circle Africa is a legally incorporated company with several Board Directors. Mr. Heri Bomani is one of the Directors. In response to Stanbic’s press release on Sunday 12th June, 2011 suggesting that Mr. Heri Bomani is personally obligated towards the Hugh Masekela show not taking place, we wish to state that such communication is clearly intended to ruin the reputation of Full Circle Africa in general and Heri Bomani in particular. This statement has caused severe reputational harm to Mr. Bomani and his family.
Afadhali tumepata hadithi ya upande wa pili. Je tunaweza kuambiwa sababu hasa zilizomfanya Hugh akatae kutumbuiza maana hazikuainishwa bayana, Na je ni kwanini show ya Uganda ilipelekwa mbele?
ReplyDeletewakenya tayari wameingiza longolongo zao hapo
ReplyDeletePoor choice of venue. You should expect problems with the Tulip. Very poor choice.
ReplyDeletehapa ninaona pia kulikuwa hakuna maelewano mazuri. by saturday afternoon wangekuwa wamejua kuwa masekela asinge perform kwahiyo wange cancel hiyo show. wange tumia radio, tv na kuweka matangazo walipokua wanafanyia hiyo show kutangaza cancellation ya hiyo show badala ya kungoja until the last minute. hata huku north america shows huwq cancelled due to unforseen circumstances na watu waka rudishiwa pesa.
ReplyDeleteAnkal,
ReplyDeleteAcha hizo, una screen sana comments zetu. Au nia yako ni kumlinda Heri Bomani, licha ya uchafu alofanyia wadanganyika?
I don't buy it!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a more convoluted and contradictory statement. It raises more questions than answers. For instance, in one paragraph only you could pick a host of sleazy claims; first we are told Masekela was paid in full by 9 June and again that this amount was equal to 66% of the amount due! Then we are told that the blame rests with the Golden Tulip even though the electrical problem was resolved! This is sleaziness at it's worst. This is not only a crappy businessman but a corrupt one. He does not have the decency to level with all of us who paid not only with our money but our time as well. Blaming others and not accepting your failures the epitome of a shoddy enterprise that Full circle is. Am waiting for my refund.
ReplyDeleteThis is just madness. There is no excuse. You cant just let people sit in an entertainment hall expecting the superstar performance only to tell them that it is cancelled. It is shame, very shameful to the whole country. Some fans who turned up were foreignors and dignitaries. What impression do they get on Tanzania! Shame, Heri Bomani just apologize in person. It is true your reputation, as a young and talented tanzanian executive, has greatly been tarnished. This rubbish posted here does not help to clean your name.
ReplyDeleteEither Heri Bomani or Full circle, it is the same thing with different names, so key point here it shows the laziness and ghetto and unproffesionalism by the company! As a customer, i dont care what went wrong behind the scenes, why are trying to buy sympathy? am sure on all other venues for the last four years generated profits (that is why you are still operating today), how come you dont publicize how much profit you receive, instead you are trying to buy sympathy?? REFUND THE MONEY< that is the key point....
ReplyDeleteMichuzi.. as a journalist.. how do you post a statement which does not show its source? nani ametoa hii statement? i mean mwenye authority hapo Full Circle.. hakuna jina wala cheo chake, wala contact zake? sasa we unajua press release yoyote ambayo haina source na wakati mwingine haijasainiwa ni batili.. wanaogopa nini kujiweka wazi?
ReplyDeleteThreatening Stanbic for reputational harm to your ill fated misadventure is to say the least outrageous. For heavens sake, you were the promoter! Dont you think the failure of the show had a far huge damage to your reputation than anything else? Stanbic was taken for a ride for not having monitored you closely; they were also fools by failing to intervene to remedy the situation and the intergrity of their name that was tied to Heri's misadventure.They both deserve the bussines medal of shame for 2011. No one can out perform this fiasco!
ReplyDeleteSasa sababu hasa ni nini? Umeme au kukosa Suite Golden Tulip? Kama ni umeme kwa nini hamkujitayarisha wakati mnajua kwamba nchi ya Tanzania ina shida ya umeme? Kama ni kutokupata Suite Golden Tulip ni kwa nini hao Golden Tulip hawa apologize kwa kushindwa kutoa huduma kama walivyotarajiwa? Kama shida ni Masekela kukataa ku perform ingawa alilipwa, mtafanya hatua gani za kisheria? Unless mnakuwa clear kwa haya mambo matatu, NINYI NI WABABAISHAJI.
ReplyDeleteIt is a well known fact that in Dar there is electricity shortage, Full Circle should have prepared an emergency generator. They call it "Business Continuity Plan".
ReplyDeleteHeri & Full Circle the problem is - You have set up a record of great performance, great event organisations for all the 20 plus international artistes events you brought to us Tanzania in the last three or so years. I congratulate you for this innovative idea and although some have no idea at all of your innovation, greatness and achievements since perhaps they have no idea of where the country has been in this arena or they think such great things fall from the sky.
ReplyDeleteShits happen sometimes and we need to learn and shape the our future conduct and performance. One thing for sure is poor choice of venue. Golden Tulip stinks and many professionals have a really poor regards of the hotel. Unless you have no classy. Pole sana and lets focus in future. Alex bura, dar
Shame on you Hery and who ever is behind you and Full Circle, NOT to Tanzanians. I was at the concert and whatever went wrong behind the scenes is non of our bussiness whether loss or profit. You should have cancelled the show earlier in the day to be honest. You can pay back the money but what about iur time and the respect of everyone who attendend and the country in general? SHAME ON YOU.
ReplyDeleteAcha kuscreen message namna hiyo wewe! otherwise useseme kabisa wanaotoa maoni ya kumpinga Bomani wasijisumbue kupoteza muda wao. I dont see my earlier comments here.
ReplyDeletePlacing the blame on others (ie. The Golden Tulip/Stanbic) is both immature and unprofessional. Let us not pretend that this is the first time a cancellation has occurred in such shady circumstances. If anything, Mr. Bomani, I hope you can step down from your self-imposed pedestal and acknowledge that you are wrong. You need to earn the respect you are looking for, just as you need to learn to respect your customers' time and money. You had a good thing going here, I hope its not too late for you and Full Circle to rise above this.
ReplyDeletePole sana familia ya Kilumanga na StanBic Bank kwa kushushiwa heshima zenu... Michu umebana comment zangu za awali kuhusu ukweli wa hii issue..
ReplyDeleteLakini ukweli utabaki kuwa kweli kuhusu promoter Boma..
Sawa tumekubali Heri akiwa kama promoter amekosea this time na mambo yameenda kombo, lakini tukumbuke katika kila biashara kuna ups and downs. Mmefuatilia kuona kama events zake zote zinaishia kwenda kombo? Nyie mnaotoa comment za kumshambulia tatizo ni nini? ni hivyo viingilio vyenu ama mna la ziada? kwani masekela angetumbuiza wimbo mmoja akaanguka jukwaani na show ingeishia hapo mngelalama hivi? mbona mnakuwa kama msiojua kuchambua mambo kistaarabu. Hiyo ni starehe tu, na ni sehemu moja ndogo ya maisha, tatizo Watanzania wengi mnafanya starehe kama ndio maisha yenyewe na kutaka kuonyeshana mbwembwe nani mwenye hela ya kiingilio kuliko mwenzake! SHAME ON YOU ALL WHO ARE SO INSISTING ON YOUR MONEY BACK. Mmeshaambiwa mtalipwa kashfa na jazba za nini? Ama mlikopa? Wote wanaolalama kuhusu hela zao hapa wanajiabisha tu good thing hamjatoa majina yenu!
ReplyDeleteIf the anonymous at June, 15 09:44:00 PM is the kind of friends Heri keeps then foolishness and stupidy is in good company. The sad and unfortunate event last Saturday was not a charittable event. Intertasinment is a service for which attendants paid to secure. They were expecting nothing less then their moneys worth. Refund should not have been an issue. It need not even rise here. Any self respecting bisiness or businessman would have deemed that a foregone conclusion. The fact that anyone of Heri's cirlce of misfits would think those who were defrauded of their entertainment should be ashamed for expecting their refunds is not only outrageous but the essesnce of why many, not all, businesses in Tanzania are often a bunch of crooks.
ReplyDelete