The entire Rituals team, including a national Arts Council of Zimbabwe official and two nominees for the National Arts Merits Awards 2011, were thrown in police cells. As a result, the producer could not attend the NAMA 2011 Awards Ceremony. The artistes were arrested by Centenary Police just before 6pm, detained overnight and transferred to Bindura Police Station where they were released on Saturday soon after 7pm, represented by human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama, with no charge. Joyce Mpofu went on to win the award for Best Actress in Theatre in absentia.
The ironic and funny part of it is that firstly, we were advancing the objectives of Zimbabwean society at large and secondly we were merely buttressing the intention of the Organ on national healing, reconciliation and integration which falls under the Office of the President and Cabinet and were actually acknowledging the commitment of the leadership of the three Principles in the inclusive government to non-violent politics.
We strongly believe there are people out there who still believe they are running fiefdoms and who do not want our communities to engage openly and map resolutions that advance their development, said Dave Guzha, the Producer of Rooftop Promotions.
This is the 3rd time this production has fallen under the spotlight of law enforcement agents, despite the fact that it has all relevant clearance certificates as well as having won an interdict in Bulawayo Magistrate Court which gave it the green light to be performed without undue hindrance by any law enforcement agent(s).
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