Financial Gazette (Harare)

18 October 2007

Stanley Kwenda
Harare

THE quest for democracy has taken a new dimension in Zimbabwe with the emergence of an organisation aiming to advance the cause through art as a way to create awareness of human and voter rights.

Artists for Democracy in Zimbabwe Trust (ADZT) uses art as a vehicle to encourage and promote good governance.

The trust aims to fight for politically disadvantaged artists whose works are overlooked by the public media because of their critical nature.

"The birth of ADZT has been necessitated by the loud cries from artists whose works are denied airplay or space in the public and government owned print media. It is ADZT's wish to make the voices of all Zimbabwean artists heard by everyone because it is everyone's constitutional right to freedom of expression," said Okay Machisa, the founder of the trust.

The trust seeks to primarily to facilitate publicity for artists whose works are denied media coverage, encourage artists to continue creating art which advocates respect and observance of human rights, democracy and good governance.

Several Zimbabwean artists have had their works banned by the national broadcaster because they were critical of the government. Among affected artists are the exiled chimurenga music guru, Thomas Mapfumo and Leonard Zhakata whose music has been banned by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

The trust also aims to cultivate a relationship between the artists and ordinary people and a unified network between affected artists.

Any interested Zimbabwean artist can be part of the trust.

Just last week, the trust launched an ambitious exercise to educate and enlighten voters in rural areas with a well-attended concert at Mutoko Centre.


The trust uses music and other forms of pop culture to raise awareness among villagers and youths on issues related to voting and elections.

Artists such Leonard Zhakata, Amavithikazi and protest poets-Cadet Crew performed at the Mutoko function.

"These artists boast magnificent creative work that seeks to entertain, educate, provoke, inspire, encourage and map the lives of the artists and Zimbabweans at large. However, these works will not reach the ears of the intended masses of Zimbabwe because there are a lot of political hindrances along the way. These works are labelled oppositional and are not given any publicity in both the print and electronic media which is monopolized by the state," said Machisa.