Chimanimani Arts Festival kicks off in earnest on August 12 and will wind up on August 14 under the theme “It’s great for the Soul”.

Zimbabwe’s biggest free entry festival promises a diversity of artistic genres including music, arts and craft, theatre, dance, film, and poetry/storytelling.

This year’s edition has seen increased financial and material support from Lion Lager in addition to the traditional supporters and includes workshops on theatre, arts and craft as well as poetry/storytelling and a vibrant Youth Zone is on the cards.

Organisers yesterday confirmed preparations for the festival were at an advanced stage and some of the acts feature Junior Banton and Friends, Tina Watyoka, X Vybz and Chikwata 263 from Harare while several acts from Chimanimani and Mutare such as Ngangu Band, Senior Musareketa and Jusa Mupostori will be part of the exciting programme.

This year, the British Council has made it possible for the two highly acclaimed plays The Comeback by Sifiso Mabhena featuring Edith weUtonga and Colours of Dreams by award winning Christopher Mlalazi featuring Nama Award winner Eddy Mangawa and friends.

Proceedings will begin on Friday with a traditional opening ceremony performed by chiefs from Chimanimani hosted by Chief Ngorima.

Symbolically the chief welcomes all festival participants and dedicates the festival to the Creator.
On Saturday musical acts take centre stage, with genres ranging from choral, urban grooves, sungura, afro jazz, afro punk, reggae, hip hop and gospel.
There will also be film screenings throughout the festival.

Children will be catered for exclusively in the Youth Zone where a talent contest will take place as well as a workshop on poetry/storytelling.

Judging from past editions, attendance at the festival will peak at approximately 9 000 and this year attendees from as far afield as Masvingo are expected. Artists from Harare, Mutare, Chimanimani and surrounding areas are raring to go and have promised fireworks at this year’s event.

MDC-T spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa has attributed the delays in swearing in Roy Bennett as deputy minister to the fact that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was on compassionate leave following the death of his wife, Susan.

Asked to comment on reports that President Robert Mugabe was refusing to swear in Bennett, Chamisa over a week ago said the MDC Treasury General’s appointment as deputy Minister could not be stopped.

“The issue is not about whether or not,” he said. “It is about when. The nomination of Roy Bennett is an MDC-T thing and therefore the President cannot interfere with MDC-T business.”

The former commercial farmer is now a non-constituency Senator.

Water Resources and Infrastructure Development Minister, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo told a private radio station that Mugabe was refusing to swear in Bennett citing that he had a pending case in the courts.

Sipepa Nkomo is reported to have said that attempts to frustrate the former Chimanimani legislator were against the spirit of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

Bennett was arrested on the same day Mugabe swore in ministers from Zanu PF and the two MDC formations as he tried to return to South Africa where he had lived in exile for two years.

This was after he was informed that deputy ministers would be sworn in at a later date.

He was held at Mutare Prison for a month after he was charged for his alleged involvement in acts of terrorism and for illegal possession of firearms.

The MDC-T blamed his arrest on Zanu PF loyalists who were trying to sabotage the unity government.

Last week Bennett said he did not know what was delaying his swearing in and referred all questions to the Prime Minister’s office.