Where is the theatre association?
Zimbabwe is one of the greatest countries in Africa and the world over, its one country that is pregnant with hullabaloos, contradictions, opportunists, dictators feeding almost every news agency in the world with a story to tell and naturally feeding themselves with anything that comes across. This is a rare talent that most Zimbabweans have, its greatness thrust upon them to identify an opportunity, loophole or pothole and use it wisely – not necessarily the correct definition of ‘wise’ according to oxford dictionary.
From the political crisis/impasse, to the economic decline/decay, to humanitarian total collapse right through the inclusive government - a story has been told but one thing that has been given little notice is that Zimbabwe has the finest brains to plan strategize but explicitly the worst implementers. This has been one element that has immensely contributed to the collapse of the country as it has spread like cholera across the whole country leaving nothing but trail of untamed disaster.
In 2008 we had some theatre practitioners namely going around the country mobilizing for a theatre association that seeks to address burning issues affecting theatre practitioners. Actors and actresses who have been grossly affected by shortchanging producers were eager to see a body that will protect them and most importantly help the theatre fraternity grow shaping a new and sustainable future in Theatre arts. A noble idea indeed thought and initiated by prominent artists with a vision to set new inclinations. Read more
Can the media stop prostitution?
Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness-Leviticus 19:29
I don’t think it is news to any Zimbabwean that the crisis that has engulfed our nation has seen a rise in prostitution. Yet the media seems to think it should be news. Time and time again, the pages of the few remaining papers will have some account of these women who feel they have no choice but to sell their bodies. We are told how they are afraid of AIDS, but fear the imminent death from hunger even more. Then, of course, the papers find something else to fill their pages with.
Yes, I am coming down on our media! It is deplorable, this morbid fascination with a social evil and the victims of it that makes little effort to illicit at least our sympathy let alone motivate us to want to do something about it. Interviews with a couple of prostitutes, a generous supply of directions for those who don’t know where they can procure the services of these women and how much it will cost and a statement from a pastor nobody has ever heard of only leaves me wondering what the aim in printing such a story was. Read more
The atrocities of the traditional customary practice of “kuripa ngozi”
The African continent has diverse cultural backgrounds and in contemporary Zimbabwean culture, traditional customary practices have a strong foothold and remain an integral part of the everyday lives of many Zimbabweans. In this regard, women in Zimbabwe are still vulnerable to some entrenched customary practices, despite the legal prohibitions which have since been enacted by the Zimbabwe judicial system. Blatant violations of women’s and girls’ human rights are made possible by the maintenance of some of the detrimental and discriminatory customary laws which allow for the continuation of practices, that negatively affect women, and among these persistent practices are:
“KURIPA NGOZI” – The customary practice of offering a young girl or grown woman as compensatory payment in inter-family disputes as well as in the appeasement of avenging deceased spirits. An avenging spirit is appeased by offering a young woman in marriage to the aggrieved spirit in an uncanny and an extraordinary spiritual marriage covenant and the spirit husband is the spiritual manifestation the inevitably follows. Read more
