Harare — THE voting process of the 2008 Kora All Africa music awards - in which Oliver Mtukudzi is the only Zimbabwean entry - has began.

Mathias Bangure, who is the Kora agent for the Zimbabwe chapter, said the process began last Saturday and would end on October 4.

"The final list of the nominees to the Kora 2008, including the results of the voting leading to the list of the nominees of the regional categories and the nominees of the non-regional categories will be released at a Press conference on October 16," said Bangure.

Southern Africa has 10 nominees with South Africa contributing the highest number -- Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Jimmy Dludlu, Sibokazi and Jaziel Brothers. Other nominees include Angola's Paul G, Botswana's Dikakapa, Namibia's Gal Level and Zambia's Mampi.

Kora 2008 will be held on December 6 in Tanapa, Cross River State, Nigeria and this ends a two-year break. Kora was launched in 1996 with the view to unite Africans through the celebration of music excellence.

The awards are the brainchild of Ernest Coovi and over 1 000 artistes have been nominated for Kora with nearly 200 having been presented with statuettes.