By Ronald MureverwiItai aka Madiz performing with his group above
Scores of people from all walks of life gathered along first street in the city centre of Harare on Saturday 20th of June to commemorate the day in which more than 500 students were killed protesting against inferior education in apartheid South Africa in 1976. The Memeza maiden festival which exploded into dance, poetry, mbira and music was organized by Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights(ZPHR) in conjunction with MISA Zimbabwe, Contradictions for Arts Development Trust (CADET) and Girl Child Network.
Memeza is a Ndebele word for ‘’speak out, shout ,scream’’. The festival which was held under the theme, “Africa fit for children” rolled into life around 10 00hrs through a live performance by a Mbare dance group Pachedu school of Arts. The audience were treated to an invigorating performance by Zimbabwe’s best young artist among others John Pfumojena, Alexio Kawara, Hope Kakuwe, Itai Madzikure (madiz) and poets from Zimbabwe poets for Human Rights. Also in attendance were school children from various schools.
Takura Mafika from the Mbira society applauded the artist for taking part in the festival and encouraged them not to tire as artist bear the burden of directing issues on addressing the problems facing the nation at large.
Speaking to journalist at the festival Mike Mabwe the coordinator of Zimbabwe Poets for Human rights said he was inspired to honor the Day of the African Child because it symbolizes what the Zimbabwean child is facing today. The youths and children are the hardest hit in the 29 year rule of Robert Mugabe which is characterized by a history of abuse of state resources, corruption, misrule rampant human rights abuses and betrayal of freedom. Zimbabwe once had the best education system in Africa when Robert Mugabe took over power from Ian Smith in 1980, but the last 29 years has been a reversal not only of the sound education system but also the gains of the liberation struggle.
The majority of youths find themselves with nothing to do with unemployment estimated at 95%. Thanks to the state’s lake of diligent priorities the University of Zimbabwe where most of those in government were educated remains closed because of lack of water and dilapidated infrastructure.
Commenting on the role of the media, Tabani Moyo the advocacy officer of MISA Zimbabwe encouraged the inclusive government to move swiftly to address the deliberate moves of maintaining ZBC’s monopoly over the air waves. “On this fateful day 33 years ago, the African Child sow a seed of courage by clearly expressing that he/she could no-longer stomach the unjust society they were living in, but it did not end there, their struggle shapes our country’s struggles today as we seek to challenge the suffocation of the media space on a day to day basis. There are some political parties which continue to behave as if they are the ZBC shareholders. You the people of Zimbabwe are the genuine shareholders and you should be accorded the right to direct ZBC’s operations… By the same token, it is the right of every community to establish community radios but since 2001 when the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) was promulgated no single license has been issued to the communities.’’
Speaking on behalf of the ZPHR, the advocacy information and advocacy officer Thomson Phiri said Memeza was the beginning and not the end. It is set to become an annual event targeted at bringing artist from the region. The festival will seek to empower children to speak out on challenges they face in daily lives which include sex trafficking, sexual abuse, exorbitant tuition fees, poverty and the scourge of the HIV and aids pandemic.
