The main aim of Sauti za Busara is to bring people together in celebration of the wealth and diversity of Swahili music. The main festival venue is inside the ancient walls of the historic Old Fort, located on the seafront of Stone Town which faces the Indian Ocean. To enhance the festivities freshly grilled seafood kebabs are close by and the average daily temperature hovers around 30C° (86F°)-making for an unbeatable location. Performances include more than forty groups, hailing from Zanzibar, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Moçambique, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, West Africa and Europe. In addition there is the carnival parade; a film World Premiere-"As Old As My Tongue: The Myth and Life of Bi Kidude"; a workshop-Swahili Encounters (Music Fusion); a Seminar-Marketing East African Music; a photo exhibition-"Where the Music Takes Me"; and "Off-Busara"-performances in fringe venues around the island; concluded by the festival finale-Valentines Day Beach Party until Dawn! Admission to events is free.

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba (West Africa), Malouma (West Africa), Maalesh (Comoros), Seckou Keita Quartet + (West Africa / Europe), Bi Kidude (Zanzibar), Bantu & Afrobeat Academy (West Africa / Europe), Yunasi (Kenya), Culture Musical Club (Zanzibar), Bring the Noise (Pan Africa), Ahmed el Salam (North Africa / Europe), Afrodynamix (Pan Africa / Europe), Celloman (Europe), National Taarab All Stars (Zanzibar), Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni (Zanzibar), Eric Wainaina & the Mapinduzi Band (Kenya), Tamarind Band (Zanzibar), Nfithe (Mozambique), N'faly Kouyaté and Dunyakan (West Africa / Various), Sakaki Mango (Japan), TMK Majita Original (Tanzania), Maurice Kirya (Uganda), Mwana FA (Tanzania), Nako2Nako Soldiers (Tanzania), Jaymoe (Tanzania), Splendid Theatre (Tanzania), 7 Survival (Tanzania), Tibirinzi All Stars (Pemba), Z. Anto (Tanzania), Kassim (Tanzania), Madee (Tanzania), Jahazi Modern Taarab (Tanzania), Mrisho Mpoto (Tanzania), Black Roots (Zanzibar), Akhenaton Family (Zanzibar), Moto Combat (Tanzania), KIKI Taarab (Zanzibar), Yange Yange Trio (Tanzania), Jakamoyo (Tanzania), Kijiji Family The Big Nation (Zanzibar), DJ Yusuf (Zanzibar / Europe), and your good selves.