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ZPHR
holds maiden MEMEZA festival to commemorate the Day of the African
Child
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR)
June 26, 2009
Scores of people
from all walks of life gathered along first street in the city centre
of Harare on Saturday 20th of June to commemorate the day in which
more than 500 students were killed protesting against inferior education
in apartheid South Africa in 1976. The Memeza maiden festival which
exploded into dance, poetry, mbira and music was organized by Zimbabwe
Poets for Human Rights (ZPHR) in conjunction with MISA
Zimbabwe, Contradictions for Arts Development Trust (CADET)
and Girl
Child Network.
Memeza is a Ndebele word
for ''speak out, shout ,scream''. The festival
which was held under the theme, "Africa fit for children"
rolled into life around 10 00hrs through a live performance by a
Mbare dance group Pachedu school of Arts. The audience were treated
to an invigorating performance by Zimbabwe's best young artist
among others John Pfumojena, Alexio Kawara, Hope Kakuwe, Itai Madzikure
(madiz) and poets from Zimbabwe poets for Human Rights. Also in
attendance were school children from various schools.
Takura Mafika from the
Mbira society applauded the artist for taking part in the festival
and encouraged them not to tire as artist bear the burden of directing
issues on addressing the problems facing the nation at large.
Speaking to journalist
at the festival Mike Mabwe the coordinator of Zimbabwe Poets for
Human rights said he was inspired to honor the Day of the African
Child because it symbolizes what the Zimbabwean child is facing
today. The youths and children are the hardest hit in the 29 year
rule of Robert Mugabe which is characterized by a history of abuse
of state resources, corruption, misrule rampant human rights abuses
and betrayal of freedom. Zimbabwe once had the best education system
in Africa when Robert Mugabe took over power from Ian Smith in 1980,
but the last 29 years has been a reversal not only of the sound
education system but also the gains of the liberation struggle.
The majority of youths
find themselves with nothing to do with unemployment estimated at
95%. Thanks to the state's lake of diligent priorities the
University of Zimbabwe where most of those in government were educated
remains closed because of lack of water and dilapidated infrastructure.
Commenting on
the role of the media, Tabani Moyo the advocacy officer of MISA
Zimbabwe encouraged the inclusive government to move swiftly to
address the deliberate moves of maintaining ZBC's monopoly
over the air waves. "On this fateful day 33 years ago, the
African Child sow a seed of courage by clearly expressing that he/she
could no-longer stomach the unjust society they were living in,
but it did not end there, their struggle shapes our country's
struggles today as we seek to challenge the suffocation of the media
space on a day to day basis. There are some political parties which
continue to behave as if they are the ZBC shareholders. You the
people of Zimbabwe are the genuine shareholders and you should be
accorded the right to direct ZBC's operations . . . By the
same token, it is the right of every community to establish community
radios but since 2001 when the Broadcasting
Services Act (BSA) was promulgated no single license has been
issued to the communities.''
Speaking on behalf of
the ZPHR, the advocacy information and advocacy officer Thomson
Phiri said Memeza was the beginning and not the end. It is set to
become an annual event targeted at bringing artist from the region.
The festival will seek to empower children to speak out on challenges
they face in daily lives which include sex trafficking, sexual abuse,
exorbitant tuition fees, poverty and the scourge of the HIV and
aids pandemic.
Visit the ROHR
fact
sheet
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