Simba was born in 1983. From a young age, he began his artistic career inspired by the work of a friend who was also an artist and served as his mentor. Due to his family's lack of resources, Simba had to leave school after his second year of secondary education. In this context of limited educational opportunities, he went to live with artist friends to learn painting techniques. He also devoted much of his time to observing nature, where he found inspiration for his artistic work. Like many artists, he approached the Maasai culture to understand their daily practices and incorporate them into his work. Simba tells us that his learning method combines the knowledge he acquires through critical observation of other artists while they are working, detailed observation of the elements of nature and local culture he integrates into his work, followed by tireless practice of the technique.
Simba tells us there are two fundamental reasons why he decided to become an artist. The first is his love for art, which is connected to his vocation and abilities, and the second is the need to find a means of livelihood to escape poverty. The artist mentions the difficult situation many people face in Tanzania and Africa in general, and he has found an alternative to overcome the traps of poverty through art. This does not mean it is a path free of difficulties and economic challenges, often related to the injustices of the art market, which marginalizes artists from economic gains, often leaving them in the hands of intermediaries.
Simba mentions that those who buy his artworks contribute to his family's economy and allow his children to go to school and have better education and opportunities in life. He also states that if he had the opportunity to earn more money, he would establish a foundation to support schools in teaching art to children. Simba tells us that an artist's work is always a constant search, continuous effort, and exchange of knowledge that must start from an early age, making work with children essential.
Simba's work reflects the nature in Tanzanian national parks, with their animals and centuries-old trees like the baobab, which shape the landscape, often with Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru as backdrops to the vast savannas surrounding the city of Arusha, where the artist lives. Simba tells us that his artworks also seek to honor the cultural practices of daily life in Tanzanian villages, including those of indigenous peoples. Many of the elements the artist includes in his work are represented with a palette of vibrant and unnatural colors.