Top poets speak on power sharing agreement

Top Poets Speak on power-sharing agreement
ZIMBABWEAN poets last Tuesday challenged the current political situation in a poetry session. Popular with young poets based in Harare and Chitungwiza the poetry slam, which ran under the theme "What next after GNU", saw poets being critical of the "complex" power-sharing agreement.

Most poets argued in their verses that the GNU concept was "disrespectful of the will of the people who voted against Zanu PF on March 29 2008". Anesu Katerere, who recited the poem Mother and Child, argued that the MDC-T was just a junior partner in this inclusive government as the Prime Minister is neither a head of state nor government. He said the future of the ordinary people -- "the grassroots mother and child" -- was not guaranteed in the power-sharing deal signed by the parties. The poem also ignited the issue of the national youth training programme which the parties recognised as desirable to inculcate values of patriotism, discipline, tolerance, non-violence, openness, democracy, equality, justice and respect.

Another poet, Acme Chinyani in his verse Anything Can Happen raised uncertainty over the result of the marriage between the three parties which the audience thought was a "pain-ease rather than a pain-killer". Poet Ishkold brought a new dimension to the poetry slam when he recited a poem on the black snake (a reference to corruption). "This black snake is not viper, adder or python or human. This black snake is greed. . ." Ishkold said. He attributed the woes the country faces to corruption by greedy politicians. In the spirit of entrenching accountability values in our leaders the poet suggested the black snake should be killed to realise national benefits for all rather than the elite few. This was complemented by Ticha Muzavazi's Chitima CheBhuruwayo, which satirically explored the history of past coalition governments in Zimbabwe from the Muzorewa/Smith Zimbabwe Rhodesia coalition of 1978 to the compromise government of 1980 and the Zanu PF/PF Zapu Unity accord government of 1987.

"Poets are not only wordsmiths but also vital stakeholders in shaping the destiny of Zimbabwe," said Shoes Robson, session convener. The poetry session was facilitated by the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights (ZPHR). ZPHR holds the human rights poetry forums once every month and aspires to create a genuine and sustainable national solution that will eventually pave the way for economic prosperity and creation of democratic space for all citizens. "The secret mode of the talks posed major flaws to the whole process," Robson said. "As a result the agreement is an inadequate tool in addressing the national crisis and other major issues like transitional justice and restoration of human rights." Relevant Links Southern Africa Zimbabwe The next poetry session is on October 29 at the US Embassy's Public Affairs auditorium in Harare