The East African Arts and Culture Festival (JAMAFEST), which started yesterday, has not begun with a bang but rather a whisper.

The week-long event started off with a Grand Carnival entailing a procession around Kigali However, the Carnival, which was supposed to commence at 9am-2pm, kicked off much later to many peoples chagrin.

Other JAMAFEST participants, confused by the Ibuka protest march which occurred at the same time, ended up joining the wrong procession.

To make matters worse, rain drenched the small number of people who did join the Carnival on time.

Members of JAMAFEST from Kenya, whose names were withheld on request, were visibly agitated by the lack of organisation and headed straight to Petit Stade Amahoro in Remera where the hoisting of the flag was to occur later that day.

The turn-up is expected to improve after the official opening today.