PHILIP Moyo, popularly known as Cde Phil in his circles, is a writer, poet, master of ceremonies (MC) and festival icon who has graced a number of events in Bulawayo from age 15.
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Born at Mpilo Central Hospital on April 21 1993, Moyo is the sixth born in a family of five girls and two boys.
He grew up in Bulawayo’s oldest suburb, Makokoba, and did primary schooling at Lotshe and secondary education at St Columba’s in the same high-density suburb before enrolling for ‘A’ Level at Northlea High.
The vibrant and charismatic 21-year-old won his first prize in 2008 when he was adjudged the best poet in the Dreams to Fame competition organised by Amakhosi Theatre.
In 2009, Moyo was involved in a project known as Msomi Gang that featured actors Herbert Phiri and Percy Shoko.
Msomi Gang was a short film about crime and life in the ghetto. The film was screened at the Ibumba International Festial in the same year.
In 2012 he hosted a programme called Plays on Sunday produced by Amakhosi Theatre.
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In 2013 he was invited to feature in a television series titled Nyami Nyami by Amakhosi Productions.
Nyami Nyami was about life at a university campus and Moyo acted as MaHalf, who was part of the campus gang involved in various forms of mischief.
Moyo has chanted poetry at events which include the Intwasa Arts Festival in 2013 and 2014, Ibumba International Festival in 2013 and 2014, Inxusa in 2014, Tshibilika in 2013 as well as at the Jikinya National Traditional Dance Festival finals in 2013 at the Large City Hall where he was a co-host with Pride Mpofu.
Moyo has been the MC of Sunday plays at the Amakhosi Theatre every week since 2012.
He was also the MC at the Iyasa project Isiphiwo Sami Talent Search in 2014 and featured in the United States embassy hosted concert called Blended and was involved in the Sabela Music projects.
“I have always seen myself in the arts since primary school where I started acting in plays. I had the support I needed from my mother. Losing my father and growing up without him was not easy, but my mother has always been my inspiration and role model,” Moyo said.
“She understood that there is nothing I love more than art. I love it more than anything. Cont Mhlanga (Amakhosi director) is the first person who saw the potential in me and gave me an opportunity to present the Amakhosi production Plays on Sunday.
“Raisedon Baya (Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo director) also contributed to who I am today. He taught me acting and drama skills at the School Playwright Actors Academy under Nhimbe Trust. It was a bit challenging when I transcended from being an actor to a presenter as people could not understand the change, but he encouraged me to go for it saying nothing could stop me,” Moyo said.
Moyo graduated from the Nhimbe Trust Academy of Acting in 2014 and has written articles for Isiphiwo Sami magazine for fifth and sixth editions.
Currently, Moyo is compiling poems for an anthology which he hopes to publish in 2016 and is planning to enroll at a local university to study journalism, which he has a passion for.
