Radio Dialogue Giving you a voice
ADZT-Censorship Board has banned a theatre play produced by acclaimed playwright and actor Tafadzwa Muzondo.
The play “No Voice No choice” is a clear act of promoting peace in Zimbabwe, a country ravaged by political violence.
Artists for Democracy in Zimbabwe Trust (ADZT) received the news with dismay given the fact that the play had already toured several areas
of the country and managed to get communities to start debating ways of ending violence.
Even a magistrate in Masvingo ruled in Muzondo’s favour when the police tried to ban the play in the province. It is unfortunate that the Censorship Board has decided to go against the
real interest of the country by banning this play.
According to a letter written to Muzondo by the Censorship Board the play is completely banned in Zimbabwe because it is against the spirit of national healing, incites religious animosity and cannot be
performed in Zimbabwe’s politically pregnant environment.
“Please be advised that the Board of Censors read your play script and observed that the play is about discouraging the youths participating in political violence in particular and against political violence in
general. The play is too direct and people can easily read into it the insinuation of the words and messages and associate them with certain
individuals and institutions and the vulgar and obscene language used,” read a letter written to Muzondo by the Board of Censors on 21
August 2012.
“The play is inciteful and against the spirit of national healing and reconciliation. The Board recommended that the play be banned and
prohibited.”We beg to differ with the Board of Censors. Ironically the play has been very well received in other countries
such as South Africa, Zambia and Malawi and was nominated for a National Arts Merit Award (NAMA) award.
It is this vain that we would like to urge the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) to intervene and protect the artists. While it is
tireless working to promote art in Zimbabwe and create employment this archaic body is working overtime to undo all these efforts.
Muzondo and many other artists in Zimbabwe are just simple artists who are doing everything in their power to try and earn an honest living.
They are not criminals and we urge the Censorship Board to stop criminalising their work of art. They are better censoring some of the
lucid scenes that we see on national television on a daily basis being passed as art than to try and stop artists who are working for
national unity.
We also urge the coalition government to work within the spirit of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) to completely scrap the outdated and
irrelevant Censorship and Entertainment Control Act of 1968.
It serves no purpose and has no place in modern day Zimbabwe.
Source: Artists for Democracy Trust in Zimbabwe
