It is closely related to taarab (with Arab- and Indian-influenced music and singing in Swahili) but it is played by smaller ensembles.
Kidumbaki is sometimes called kitaarab, loosely translatable as "little taarab" (the particle ki-, in Swahili, is used for diminutives).
It is disputed, anyway, whether kidumbaki is to be regarded as a derivative of taarab or the other way round.
Some of the founders of taarab, such as Siti binti Saad, did in fact span across the two genres.
Makame Faki of musical ensemble Sina Chuki Kidumbak is one of today's most popular kidumbaki singers.