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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent

The Government has suspended public gatherings of more than 100 people including weddings and church events for the next 60 days as it monitors the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Other events which have been suspended in Bulawayo are the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) and Independence Day celebrations that came with galas.  The city’s nightspots and restaurants are set to be affected as people have been encouraged to adjust their lives and forgo some things they were used to.

Although no case has been recorded in the country, President Mnangagwa yesterday declared Covid-19 a national disaster.

“Government has decided to postpone, curtail or cancel public events, gatherings and activities. In that respect, Government has postponed the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), all national Independence Celebrations previously planned and pending International Sporting fixtures until the threat of Coronavirus recedes. 

“Gatherings of more than 100 people, including those for purposes of worship and weddings stand suspended for the next 60 days after which the suspension will be reviewed,” said President Mnangagwa.

Events in the city which have been automatically postponed include the two-day Independence Day Carnival and gala, the traditional children’s party and the Independence Welcome Dinner. 

Organisers of the ZITF shutdown gig said they were devastated as they were planning to go big and bring international acts.

“We’ve decided to postpone the event considering that ZITF has been postponed. We’ll likely host it when ZITF hosts their fair,” said event organiser Dee Nosh. 

Other events which have been similarly affected are the Bulawayo Comedy Fiesta night which was slated for March 26 to 28. Regional acts TT Pasha and Kagisure from South Africa, Triccs from Botswana, Masapo from Lesotho and Gabbi from Zambia were billed to perform. 

“Sanctified Comedy Club has postponed the Bulawayo Comedy Fiesta as part of precautionary measures to safeguard the health of our foreign and local performers together with our audience amid the fears of Covid-19,” said Sanctified Comedy, organisers of the event.

World Children’s Theatre Day celebrations which had been organised for this Friday have also been postponed indefinitely. Umkhathi Theatre Works director – Matesu Dube said: “We were supposed to commemorate the day on Friday at Salukazi Arts Centre in Njube where St Patricks Primary School drama and SOS Primary School’s poets were to perform, but we’ve heeded the call by Government to cancel such kinds of gatherings.”

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Bulawayo which was supposed to hold a Zimbabwe Independence exhibition on April 18 said they were still deliberating on hosting the event or cancelling it. The gallery’s director, Butholezwe Nyathi said they would give their official position on the matter today. Madlela Skhobokhobo who was billed to launch his fourth album on April 4 in Gwanda is also yet to make a decision as well as the Geraldine Drama Competitions which are supposed to hold their finals at the Amphitheatre on April 7. 

However, some event organisers have decided to go ahead with their events. Among them are Loziba Festival organisers who have said the event slated for March 27 to 29, is going on as planned although they will come up with a mechanism where they will sell less than 100 tickets per event. The three-day festival has 10 events. Organisers of the Mr and Miss Bulawayo Poly pageant set to be held on Friday night at the campus also said their event is still on.

“At the moment, it’s all systems go for the event. We’ve not planned any postponement,” said one of the organisers Ashwell Mutopa. –  @mthabisi_mthire