MEMEZA Street Festival to rock Harare

Its a beehive of acvtivity in Harare's First Street on Saturday 20 June 2009 when Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights (ZPHR)take on the challenge to join African children to commemorate the Day of the African Child through a Street festival christened MEMEZA which literally means "SHOUT OUT". This year's theme is, "Africa fit for children: A call for accelerated action towards thei survival." ZPHR has been staging street programmes since 21 March 2009 when they put up a marvel to watch World Poetry Day commemoration before the World Press Freedom Day Commemoration at the same venue.
The day was set up by the African Union then Organisation of African Unity after the mass massacre of protesting hundreds of black school children on June 16 1976 in South Africa Soweto. "The protest was against the use of Afrikaans as a compulsory subject in their school curricula by the apartheid regime which was a violation of their rights" commented Robson Shoes Lambada the Programmes Manager of ZPHR. "This year as human rights poets we are advocating for the inclusion of Zimbabwean chuildren's socio-economic rights in the constitution and wide consultation of these children in the constitution making process," continued Shoes Lambada.
The event shall take plce from 1000hrs to 1700hrs. A fascinating package is lined up in the likes of Pachena School of Arts kids, Poetry from members of the Girl Child Network school clubs, Madiz, Magesh dance group and Alexio Kawara amongst others.

Zim Poets Commemorate Operation Murambatsvina

ARARE - The Zimbabwe Poets on Tuesday evening commemorated Operation Murambatsvina with a poetry night at the Quill Club in Harare.

The poetry night was sponsored by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)."It is basically a night of rememberance. We are working with artists to commemorate Operation Murambatsvina a dark era in the history of our country," said Takura Zhangazha, MISA Zimbabwe National Director.
Operation Murambatsvina was unleashed upon Zimbabwean citizens by the government in 2005 to drive out filth. The operation which was widely condemned, left more than 700 000 people homeless.
"Today we shall seek to refresh the memories of the authorities of what has become of the victims of this operation and what has become of the beneficiaries of Operation Garikai," said Shoes Lambada Programmes Manager of the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights."Africa, Africa will never, never, ever develop, Africa will continue to struggle, workers will continue striking, children will continue starving, women will continue to be battered, journalists continue to be arrested, languishing behind bars, Africa will never, never, ever develop until victims of Operation Murambatsvina are compenstated," belted a young poet identified as Thomas as he opened the night's proceedings.
The poetry reflected what happened during Operation Murambatsvina and also touched on themes to do with thenumerous human rights violations that continue to be witnessed in Zimbabwe even after the formation of coalition government between Zanu PF and MDC.