Drama within Zim celebs continues

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WHAT a week it has been in the arts! For any neutral, there has been so much to savour because the entertainment scene has not disappointed in providing drama.

WHAT a week it has been in the arts! For any neutral, there has been so much to savour because the entertainment scene has not disappointed in providing drama.

Interesting enough most of the drama we found ourselves digesting and debating was not scripted and neither did it happen on set stages.

This week we highlight various occurrences on the entertainment scene that have provided platforms for debate and controversy. Whoever has been scripting these deserves an Oscar!

Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa) invaded the country once again and interesting enough this year it will be remembered for the refused entry for South African band Freshlyground who were billed to perform at the closing ceremony.

This move poked a hornet’s nest and sparked fierce debate on social sites and various quarters of the media.

Freshlyground stated that they had not been given any official reason for being turned back, it was clear that it all had to do with their song released a few years ago and entitled Chicken To Change and their video for the same track that had images “cartooning” President Robert Gabriel Mugabe.

The question though that remained was whether it had been the right decision to refuse them entry while 4 000 of their fans waited to be entertained.

Some people felt it was the right decision as they had been disrespectful and deserved what they got.

In one statement they were informed that if they behaved like politicians they would be treated as such.

Others said while a lot was happening in South African politics, Freshlyground had never created a song in that light and that their choice of Zimbabwean politics was scornful.

Others retorted they should have known beforehand that their creativity would have consequences and they had taken a risk forgetting that they relied on Zimbabwean masses for financial returns.

Zimbabwe is a sovereign State and had every right to deny them entry if they chose to behave in that manner, they claimed.

There was another side of the same coin though. Others felt that as artistes they have every right to comment on social and political matters of their choice.

There were those that chose to compare their situation to that of Hugh Masekela who also released a song Change years ago in which he implored the president in name, to step down.

They felt there was inconsistence from the authorities since Masekela was allowed to grace two events in Zimbabwe last year despite that.

He was at the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly in Victoria Falls and was a guest at Oliver Mtukudzi’s birthday celebration last year. Others were so daring to draw the race card claiming the wrong people (whites) had invited Freshlyground.

Another blogger insisted that people could still be patriotic without passing angry comments or insulting those who were disappointed by missing what would have otherwise been a great show from Freshlyground.

He went on to say officials had otherwise renewed interest from the public and media in a song that was released years ago and had been forgotten. For a country battling to improve its international image it was a blunder to turn back Freshlyground others claimed. Wrong or right the group was ejected. Judge for yourself.

  •  Sungura maestro Alick Macheso usually a darling of local media must be wondering what hit him. We are used to reading his glorious previews and reviews day in and day out, but suddenly he finds himself caught up in a nightmare.

His estranged second wife took to the public to wash all their dirty linen including claims that he was a failure in bed and used his manhood to treat their first child of sunken fontanelle inkanda/nhova.

Macheso insists he used a method known as kutara for treating the child while the wife insists he ejaculated into their child’s mouth. Gross and graphic indeed.

This has sparked debate with cultural activists finding nothing wrong with the method while human right activists are baying for Macheso’s blood for child abuse. Was it why he penned Nyarara Tafadzwa?

Is Macheso a victim of his actions or his own success as a musician? I always believe that life as celebrated artist is complex. The higher you go the heavier you fall. There is so much to write about when a superstar glorified by the press suddenly slips — and remember hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

  • From porn to controversy over ministers’ kids and musicians to Big Brother Africa: The Chase star and celebrity engaged. No price for guessing who but Pokello Nare hogs the limelight without much effort.

After finding love in the Big Brother house in the form of Ghanaian Elikem Kumordzie they recently got engaged and she did not waste time to shoot: Unobva washaya kuti vaya vanovenga vanovengerei. Wozonzwa zichinzi mahure haaroorwi. (You wonder why there are haters. Some people say prostitutes do not get married and when you see someone getting a ring, you wonder).

The public did not take kindly to this, I wonder if Elikem and his family did. Why do I draw so many similarities between Pokello and Beverly Sibanda? By the way Bev is “unsaved” and back on stage. I hate to say I told you so. Keep walking.