We are busy preparing for our big day. Last night I slept late doing all the phoning around emailing and trying to upload our video on zwtube.com a new video website like Youtube which seems to concentrate on Zimbabweans. I have to be honest... I failed because I am technologically naive. This morning I have to run around again because just last night we secured a venue for our event. I phoned Floyd Mutambiranwa and Zimiso Moyo some of the people I'm working with on this project. We were very lucky that our organisation was finally accepted by register of companies in Wales, May be they respected the fact that Zee, as Zimiso is affectionately known by all of us, resides in Cardiff, near their headquarters...

Jokes aside... there is one thing that touched most of us in the last few days on the news. When I clicked on NewZimbabwe.com, one of the widely read Zimbabwean news sites a man was on his knees, two police officers seemingly running to rescue him. He is actually on fire. What first came to mind was that this is renewed violence in Kenya. But the caption on that picture takes me to South Africa. This is probably my brother, a friend or someone I know whose life is extinguished by fire. I read the story and my worst fears are confirmed when it comes out that its most likely a Zimbabwean burning. The story takes me back to the 1980s when we used to, not me alone as an artist, but almost every theatre group I can recall during that time, did a play on apartheid. This was because we all cared about the situation of our brothers and sisters down South. I was in Zimbabwe then, as the Artistic Director of Young Actors and Writers Union, YAWU, which had its roots from Mthwakazi Actors and Writers Association (MAWA) led by the late Mthandazo Ndema Ngwenya. I remember those days, vividly like everything happened yesterday. We invited some of South African friends who resided in Bulawayo to join us in commemorating and guiding us on the activities of June 16, 1976. We did not regard them as refugees. We sincerely regarded them as our brothers and sisters who needed help. We could not literally go to South Africa and physically remove Botha,  but as artists we made as much noise as was possible to get the message across. I remember songs like Oliver Thambo thetha no Botha akhulul'uMandela! Every newspaper in Zimbabwe from Mthunywa and Kwayedza to the broadsheets like The Herald and The Chronicle, and The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) flighted stories of support, stories of sympathy and unity between the two countries. We never thought of them as scroungers or thieves. I repeat, they were brothers and sisters who had a problem and turned to us for help. I honestly and sincerely believe we were not stupid to support their struggle but we were practicing what we know best as a cultured nation, giving help and support to our neighbours when they were in need. Yes, they were probably fighting a different enemy then. But what ever problem you experience it is a problem it does not need its congruencies and corners to fit your past one. That is ubuntuism/hunhuism as described by Samkange in his book with the same title.

It is still vivid on my mind when I then went on to play in a band with the late Fanyana Dube  at Federal hotel in the late eighties when the place was flooded with Mozambican brothers and sisters who had run away from their own civil war in their country. We used to call them amaMosken which was just a colloquial term or short cut for Mozambican. Dodosh, a Mozambican friend of mine used to come to the hotel every Sunday when we had jam sessions and liked one particular song, by the band Berlin which he played very well. He was very popular with our audiences and we liked him too. There were outbreaks of cholera, dysentery and other diseases where they were domiciled. Some absconded from the camps to look for jobs in Harare, Mutare and Marondera. It is my understanding that many naturalised and stayed forever in Zimbabwe after the war. I recall a band called Haka which was composed of predominantly Mozambican brothers and sisters.

It therefore pains me as someone who gave and risked everything to help these folks at their time of need to see a human being burning like a heap of rubbish after being set alight by other human beings, the reason being that they should go back to their country 'they are taking our jobs'. It is our culture that when we experience a difficulty we turn to our neighbour not a foreigner for help. Zimbabwe is on its knees right now every jack and jill knows that and the majority of people who absconded to South Africa are genuinely fearing persecution back home. SO WHERE TO? Should they die and perish within the system.

It is because of such pain and sometimes anger that we as Zimbabwean artists in the diaspora have come together and for this important day in Zimbabwe, the run-off elections between the two candidates on 27 June 2008. The aim is to pray, through song and dance, for the country to resurrect. We invite every Zimbabwean regardless of age, colour, race, tribe, creed or religion to come and sing and dance for the Zimbabweans who are voting on this important day to make a GOOD and informed decision. Peace and harmony are always advocated for by wise people. On the day, we cordially invite our Southern African neighbours who are here with us to put our hands together and sing for Zimbabwe. When we say neighbours we mean every one from Southern Africa not only South Africa or Mozambique. Zimbabwean artists helped in Namibia when it was still South West Africa. We were together in song and dance. SWAPO had a strong relationship with Zipra and Zanla. Let's come together fellow artists and be one in singing for peace and harmony. We know that country is very rich and prosperous.

Unfortunately we could not get a venue a week before the elections so that we send a message of peace and tranquility to the nation prior to the elections. Our theme therefore is, A Song For Zimbabwe. Vote wisely! All roads will lead to Lower Sydenham on Sunday 29^th June 2008. The venue is Footsie Social Club. As an apolitical organisation we will not be chanting political slogans, but slogans of peace. The day starts at ten in the morning till very late, so this will be a family event. We encourage people to bring their children as it will be somewhat a cultural day. A number of traditional groups and local DJs have registered their interest to take part on this day. There will be a band as well. It will be a lovely time to also meet with your old friends not only from Zimbabwe but create new ones from other countries as well. Discussions are under way to flight this day live on an internet radio station.

Definitely see you there and check this space for more details as the day nears.

Yours in Art

Dumisani Gumpo

Artistic Director - saita.org.uk  

Strike within and reach beyond!