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Auxilia Katongomara Entertainment Correspondent
THE 13th edition of the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama), to be held in Bulawayo for the second year running, will be closed to the public. The event, a brainchild of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe will be held at a Bulawayo hotel on 15 February. Mighty Movies are the official organisers of the awards.

In an interview, Mighty Movies communications manager, Zanele Zaza Ndlovu said attendance to this year’s event would be strictly by invitation.

“Preparations for the Namas are going on smoothly and I can safely tell you that it would be a closed event because we want to thoroughly wine and dine our guests.  We are not shutting out the public but it’s the venue that is forcing us to make it a closed event,” explained Ndlovu.

She said contrary to some Press reports, Mighty Movies was working with some people from the previous organising committee.
“We have our point people from last year’s organising committee who are on the ground in Bulawayo. We are working with some of them because we do not need the whole committee as the event would be held in a hotel. Therefore, there is no need for a lot of people,” explained Ndlovu.

Last year’s committee was made up of Jomo Mhone, Saimon Mambazo Phiri, Babongile Sikhonjwa, Archie Mhone, Priscilla Sithole, Raisedon Baya, Nkululeko Nkala and Admond Ntini.

Ndlovu, a radio personality as well, called on the corporate sector to support the awards.
“We are welcoming back our traditional sponsors as well as the corporate sector to come on board and assist us as we are self sponsored.”
On December 12 last year, the NACZ said 664 entry forms were submitted for this year’s edition and were received from production houses, studios, stables, galleries, organisations, associations, groups, artistes, monitors and/or the publics.

Nama categories include music, literary works, dance, visual, film and television, theatre, media, spoken word and special awards. NACZ communications manager Catherine Mthombeni said the nominees would be announced 10 days before the awards ceremony.
Last year, a glamourous event was held at the Large City Hall and it was the first time the awards were held out of Harare.