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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent 

ARTISTES have commended President Mnangagwa for calling on the Matabeleland region to harness its collective potential in the arts and creative culture and provide national leadership in the sector for peace building and economic empowerment. 

The President made the remarks during his meeting with civil society organisations from Matabeleland at State House in Bulawayo last Friday. 

“Late last year, I attended the Creative Culture and Arts Indaba here in Bulawayo which was a huge success. It broadened our perspectives on the potential of this sector and I urge the people of Matabeleland to therefore harness their collective potential in this area and rise to provide national leadership of this field, from both a peace building and economic empowerment point of view,” said President Mnangagwa.

He also threw his weight behind the idea of declaring Bulawayo as the National Cultural Capital and okayed the submission that the first National Cultural Festival be held in the city, subject to recommendations by the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Kirsty Coventry in Cabinet. 

Iyasa director, Nkululeko Dube said:

“What the President said is a milestone and it’s good that our leaders are beginning to recognise the arts as a vehicle to build peace and bring about economic empowerment. 

“Artistes are the mirror of society and they bring people together. Even peace building can’t happen without the arts as we’re the conscience of society. We have a key to the Zimbabwe we want to build.”

He said although some were sceptical about the meeting the President had with artistes in Bulawayo last year where he presided over the launch of the National Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy, the fruits were already showing. 

“When we met the President, there were many people who were sceptical. But with what the President has said and what he’s done so far, this shows that there’s a shift in the way things are being handled in government in terms of the arts.”

Nkululeko Nkala, Intwasa Arts Festival spokesperson concurred with Dube: “It’s a step in the right direction and it needs effort from all other directions and other ministries. Every ministry needs the arts.  For example, you can’t have a tourism ministry without it involving the arts and so on,” said Nkala. 

He said as part of harnessing the collective potential, there should be national arts teams that represent Zimbabwe.

“There’s no reason for us not to have a national dance team that can represent Zimbabwe at different festivals. This will give people a glimpse of the rich arts and culture that Zimbabwe possesses,” said Nkala. 

Bolamba Culture Birds director Mthabisi Dube said as a group based in Gwanda, Matabeleland South, they would like to see these policies and proclamations by the President being implemented. 

“We pray that what the President said is fulfilled. We’re grateful that he recognised that the region is rich in terms of arts and that the National Cultural Festival will be held there. But there should be constant engagement between artistes and government to ensure the success of these policies,” said Dube.