Corporate world should support the arts industry

Supester Oliver Mtukudzi thrills fans at Chibuku Road to Fame

Corporate world should support  the arts industry

The 11^th edition of the  Chibuku road to fame music finals was a classic show attended by thousands of music lovers who were treated to   fun  and dance by upcoming and established musicians who played on the occasion. Chibuku Road to Fame Festival,  always give an opportunity to young and upcoming musicians to showcase their talent   rubbing shoulders with veterans in the industry. It is also one of those rare opportunities for the budding musicians  to be exposed  to bigger crowds for the first time.    

The colourful event organised by Delta Beverages and the National Arts Council  of Zimbabwe  with free entrance for music lovers who danced all day long till midnight. The organisers did a job well done and should be commended in their efforts in supporting our music industry. The finals also saw music greats namely Superstar Oliver Mtukudzi, Tongai Moyo, Alick Macheso and Allan Chimbetu showcasing their acts to a capacity crowd and indeed they did not disappoint as they kept fans on their feet with their scintillating performances.

Allan Chimbetu, Tuku (Centre),Alick Macheos dance on one Tuku's songs

Such a gesture from a big corporate like Delta is a call to the  business community to plough back to the community through sponsoring and supporting such initiatives for the development of our arts industry.  Not only have they been sponsoring this event alone  but also other initiatives like the Chibuku Neshamwari Dance festival that is meant to preserve, safeguard and promote the dance forms in Zimbabwe. For years the festival to create an audience for dance and lay the foundation for dance as a source of employment for school leavers. This partnership by Delta and NACZ has proved quite fruitful.

Therefore we call on various other bodies NACZ included to seek and forge partnerships with the corporate world in having initiatives that support and promote our local arts industry. As for Delta, their  involvement in the arts industry over the years has been exceptionally commendable. Apart from these two major events are also involved in the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA), which has managed to raise the nation’s flag high on the international fora.  

The Intwasa Festival, a multidisciplinary arts celebration held annually in Bulawayo. This festival celebrates various art forms like storytelling, song and music, dance, literary arts, theatre, film, performance poetry, fashion and design, visual arts, African Cuisine and Historical Traditions. The Jikinya  dance festival, where different schools compete against one another, showcasing various traditional dances. The festival aims at encouraging children to appreciate and perform Zimbabwean traditional dances thus preserving the country’s rich cultural heritage, so that it may not disappear. These are some of the processes that Delta has been involved into, and again we hope other corporate will follow suit.

In the last weeks I have been very critical of music promoters for doing lip service to the arts industry.  The argument is based on their concentration with established musicians and turning a blind eye on the upcoming musicians.

It’s quite apparent that promoters are amassing huge profits from live performances and we encourage them to plough back to the community. There should  come up with initiatives that will also cater for the little known and upcoming musicians for the development of our industry. We all understand that music promotion is a business and hence the need for the realisation of profits but at least there is  need for supporting young musicians.

All these big names they scramble to book for shows were once unknown and in the oblivion but because of support there are now big. Our arts industry has a potential to grow to the magnitude  of countries like South Africa if there is support from the corporate world and the government as well. The government should  show commitment in the development of arts industry by means of financial and moral support. Such efforts can be done through the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture and this should start in our schools.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
Michael Sata wins Zambian presidential election
By Tichaona Sibanda 23 September 2011 Veteran Zambian politician and opposition leader Michael Sata has won the presidential election, with 43 percent of the vote compared to Rupiah Banda’s 36 percent. The populist Sata, 74, was declared Zambia’s next President on Friday, after a tense election marred by pockets of violence that left two people dead.	Michael Sata
Banda, the outgoing president, immediately conceded election defeat to Sata saying ‘the people have spoken.’ In a televised speech to the nation, Banda said it was time for him to step down, adding: ‘We must all face the reality that sometimes it is time to change.’ Sata, who leads the Patriotic Front (PF), garnered 1,150,045 of votes cast, and Banda had 961,796 votes. Banda’s Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has been in power since 2001 when one-party rule was ended after its founder President Fredrick Chiluba beat Kenneth Kaunda. There are unconfirmed reports that Banda’s MMD was bankrolled by the Chinese government while Sata, a long time admirer of Robert Mugabe, got financial backing from ZANU PF. Political analyst Blessing Vava told SW Radio Africa Sata’s victory shows that perseverance pays in politics, as he had spent 20 years in opposition politics. During this period Sata, nicknamed ‘King cobra’, lost three presidential elections. ‘Sata has been a popular politician for the last ten years and was bound to win the election. We must also commend the outgoing president as he has shown the world that he’s a democrat, he’s a leader that accepted defeat and has respected the will of the people. ‘This should work as a wake up call for people like Robert Mugabe that in the event he loses the next election he should respect the result of the poll,’ Vava said. The former student leader said lessons that should be drawn from the Zambian election are that leaders are not indispensable. ‘Once people are tired of you, they’ll vote you out. These leaders must not take people for granted as we have witnessed on countless occasions in Zimbabwe. It will reach a point where the electorate will punish you through the ballot box,’ Vava added.

Zambia shames Zim diehards OWEN GAGARE/ MOSES MATENGA - Sep 23 2011 14:42

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The Zambian election has provided an important lesson for the people of Zimbabwe and Sadc that peaceful power transfer is possible, analysts said on Friday.

The Zambian election, which saw opposition leader Michael Sata, nicknamed “King Cobra”, oust incumbent Rupiah Banda, whose Movement for Multiparty Democracy had run Zambia since 1991, is a victory for democracy.

Sata leads the Patriotic Front.

With 95% of constituencies counted, Sata had an unassailable 1 150 045 votes, 43% of the total, compared to Banda’s 961 796, which amounted to 36% of the vote.

Sata was duly declared the winner by Ireen Mambilima, chairwoman of the Electoral Commission, and Zambia’s Chief Justice Ernest Sakala.

Gilbert Kagodora, the national coordinator of Zimbabwean civil rights group March 11 Movement, said the Zambians should be congratulated and emulated.

“We applaud the incumbent president His Excellency the Honourable Rupiah Banda for not abusing State institutions as tools of repression and suppression of the citizens of Zambia and subversion of the people of Zambia’s will,” he said.

“We applaud the founding president of Zambia for helping our northern neighbours to start on a firm footing in the building of democracy and democratic institutions that makes the Zimbabwean State players stand in awe and envy, a process that seems to be light years away from us . . . We applaud the Electoral Commission of Zambia for walking the narrow road and their professional conduct and I hope the Chiweshes of Zimbabwe (referring to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairman Justice George Chiweshe) will pluck a leaf or two on professional conduct.”

Lovemore Madhuku, the chairman of the National Constitution Assembly, said the results should not send shockwaves to Zimbabwe or the region because a change of government is one of the things expected during an election.

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“These are good lessons for us. Election results must be accepted and elections should be conducted peacefully and all parties must agree on the conditions,” he said.

“It does not matter who wins, but the loser should accept the results. In any election there is a possibility of the incumbent remaining in power or a change of government. That’s what elections are about and this should be accepted.”

Analyst Blessing Vava said Banda had set an example for African leaders by graciously accepting defeat. He said Sata, who has previously lost three presidential elections, had shown that perseverance pays.

“The first lesson is that leaders are not indispensable. Once people are tired of you they boot you out. We commend Banda for accepting defeat, and it’s a call to all African leaders that they should respect the will of the people. Thirdly, we need to appreciate the role of proper and non-partisan institutions in electoral processes as witnessed in Zambia.

“Sata’s victory exhibits that perseverance pays in politics. He has been an opposition leader for 20 years and becoming a president does not need one to be educated. He is a man who came from grass to grace, starting as a sweeper at London’s Victoria Train Station and now he is a Head of State.

Media lecturer and analyst Wellington Gadzikwa said the Zambian election results were a good starting point for Sadc and a perfect example that those who lose elections accept the will of the people.

“It’s a good starting point for Sadc and a good example worth emulating. Our challenge now as Zimbabweans is to emulate (by accepting the results),” he said.

Alexander Rusero, another analyst, said: “These elections were well coordinated and the playing field was level. It’s a lesson that if things are well-coordinated in Zimbabwe, the next elections will be fine.”

Emmanuel Nkosilathi Moyo, the director of the Zimbabwe Organisation for Youths in Politics, said the Zambian election had shown that it was possible to have free and fair elections and that the will of the people had been respected.