History was made when the President met artistes in Bulawayo

A FEW weeks ago artistes in Bulawayo met the President of the 2nd Republic Cde ED Mnanangwa and a host of important ministers in his Cabinet at the “Ease of doing business Indaba.” On the first day of the two-day Indaba artistes met the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa whose main concern was the welfare of artistes having visited the famous Lazarus Boora (Gringo) after the actor had been discharged from hospital.

In fact, it was after some initial phone conversations with some of the artistes that the First Lady managed to convince the President of the country to come and meet the artistes. It must also be said that after nearly 40 years of self-rule this was the first time a sitting President met with this sector. And wait for it, the President was not even shy to publicly talk about his and perhaps his entire Cabinet’s misconceptions about artistes.

Their views are that artistes are disorganised, uneducated, rabble-rousers and drug addicts. “Vanhu vembanje’’, as he put it. But at least he was honest and for the sector it means there is a need for serious work to change this kind of perception and misconception. And this can only be achieved through a lot of advocacy.

Why had the First Family decided to engage the arts sector? One may ask. And why now after all these years of ignoring the sector? Well, theories were thrown in, far and wide. Why were artistes even engaging with the First Family? The organising team was even labelled as a bunch of traitors and sell-outs.

Critics even used the Matabelelalnd Collective meeting with the President as an example of the levels of “selling out’’. However, what boggles the mind is how everyone is very much OK with teachers wanting to engage at the highest level, how it is very OK for businesspeople to engage the Head of State and tell him about their problems and ask for policies that make doing business in the country favourable to them.

It is quite palatable when sectors like agriculture, mining and even tourism sit and engage with the highest office in the land but not OK when artistes try and do it. That is myopic and nonsensical if you ask me. Artistes must engage the highest office. Artistes must even engage the opposition (if the platform is there) to make sure their issues are part of the policies and decisions they make everyday.

So at both meetings, with the First Lady and His Excellency, artistes were clear on what they wanted and what they thought should happen. They presented their issues in a matrix form. Both the President and Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube were even surprised by the “clarity of thought and presentations” and the issues cut across the whole sector.

1. Festivals and other players who import foreign artistes into the country complained on how long and tedious the clearing of foreign artistes was in the country. They implored the President to look into ways of making this process much easier, smooth and less expensive.

2. There was a call for the decentralisation of offices and functions of Immigration, Censorship Board and National Arts Council as important decisions in these offices are still done in Harare.

3. The fashion sector called for the introduction of a non-partisan and non-political national dress.

4. Film called for the speeding up of a national film policy that would make the country an attractive destination for filmmakers.

5. Artistes also called for Bulawayo to be declared a cultural hub and the cultural capital of the country.

6. There was also a call for a national fund for the arts and a rotating national arts festival fully supported by Government.

This indaba was historic as it was the first time a sitting President gave a full day to artistes and allowed them to speak to him about sector issues. It is also historic in that it was the highest advocacy platform ever accorded to the artistes in this country.

However, it is very important to know that advocacy and lobbying is not a one-day event, and that by its nature is also multifaceted. After the indaba more work is yet to be done. There is serious need to work at changing the negative perceptions about arts and artistes by those in power. There is a need to engage ministries and Government departments at different levels.

The good thing is some of the ministries and departments are already expecting a serious discussion and way forward with artistes after the meeting with the President. What is crucial for artistes are the next steps, what they do now, what they call follow through in sports. Without a proper follow through all might get lost. Looking forward to more engagement with the State and other non-state organs for the better of the arts.