Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM) president Brian Bwembya, better known as B Flow, has exposed a critical issue plaguing the local music industry.
In a recent Facebook post, the musician and advocate disclosed that several winners of the 2024 Kwacha Music Awards have yet to receive their prize money—and the reason is both surprising and easily preventable.
According to B Flow, the delay stems from the fact that some award-winning artists do not have active bank accounts, making it impossible for organizers to disburse their cash prizes. While the awards were designed to honor artistic talent, the lack of basic financial preparedness among some musicians has created unnecessary setbacks.
“It has come to our notice that some of our members do not have active bank accounts, which has hindered their ability to receive prize money after winning awards at the 2024 Kwacha Music Awards,” B Flow revealed.
The ZAM president urged artists to treat their craft as a business, stressing the importance of financial literacy, proper administration, and formalization in the industry. He further announced that ZAM is planning capacity-building workshops for both upcoming and established artists to bridge these gaps and foster professionalism.
“Your music career is your business. Managing it properly unlocks opportunities and ensures long-term financial stability,” he emphasized.
B Flow ended the statement by calling on all affected musicians to open or reactivate their bank accounts to facilitate payment processing in line with organizational policies.
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This situation not only underscores the need for better financial structures in Zambia’s music scene but also serves as a wake-up call for creatives to prioritize the business side of their careers.
