City of Gweru and the government were recently blasted for neglecting the City Theatre, a situation that has left artists desperate for a place to showchase their work.
By Delicious Mathuthu
Speaking during the 2018 World Poetry Day Commemorations recently held at the Gweru City Council Theatre backroom, guest of honor and reggae musician, Josh Nhara, affectionately known in the music industry as Man Soul Jah castigated the city authorities for turning the theatre hall into leasing offices at the expense of performing arts.
“I was shocked to find that the Gweru Theatre, our Theatre which belongs to the people of Gweru not to the City Council, not to the churches that are using it now and not to all the other offices you are finding in the front, your AIDS office and all these people have no business here but you the artists,” said Nhara.
He added that as an activist, he has always been pushing for these things and doesn’t need to apologize and challenge the other artists present to never give up he fight until their theatre is given back to them.
“Are we that daft? Are we that stupid that Rhodesians would build a theatre and give it to Gweru citizens and we the owners of Zimbabwe come into power, take that theatre and put it in other people’s back pockets?” he fumed.
He said only criminal minded individuals were now running the premises for business instead of it benefiting the arts industry.
“That is the reality in Gweru. By the way, the theatre no longer belongs to Gweru citizens but to the City Council and a host of other criminal minded people posing either as churches or whatever.
“They have pushed away the arts from its home so that they can take it and make money every Sunday nechegumi or whatever they do, I am disgusted.”
The reggae star appealed to the National Arts Council and responsible ministry to intervene in the Gweru theatre situation by returning its use to the rightful owners, threatening to approach the President if that fails.
“Can you please be seized with the issue of returning Gweru Theatre to the performing arts in the city and chase away those people from the front because if you don’t do it I will do it… there is no office I am afraid of…I can even go to Mngangagwa’s office on the issue,” he said.
World Poetry Day commemorations are held every 21st of March after being declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
