adminThe show was held at Inyathi Youth Centre in Mpopoma with the support of Amnesty International Zimbabwe. Groups which took part in the awareness show included Kwabatsha, IWISA, New Age, Ezimnyama Performing Arts and Bambelela Arts Ensemble themselves.
In an interview yesterday, Bambelela director, Witness Tavarwisa said they had decided to embark on the campaign after the realisation that there was dire need for discussion around the circumstances surrounding the death penalty.
“The idea for the show came about after we realised that there was need for community discussion about the death penalty. Many people do not know what the penalty entails and we so we wanted to raise awareness on it,” he said
Tavarwisa said the death penalty was harsh on those who might have committed murder by mistake, due to anger in the heat of the moment. He said it was also bad for those who were wrongfully accused and found guilty because they could not plead their case properly in court.
“We have people who have been wrongfully accused who suffer at the hands of the death penalty. Also there are those who might have committed the crime but did so because of anger on a particular occasion. So these are the issues the show was trying to highlight to the public,” he said.
Tavarwisa sad there were people who were on the death row for a long time, some as long as 15 years.
“It is unfair for someone to live for such a long period of time not knowing the day when they are going to be executed,” he said.
Tavarwisa said in addition to creating community awareness, the show was about delivering a message to the country’s legislators, so as to enable them to deliver relevant legislation to change the law in its present form.
“The discussion forums and the shows we put up are not only for the benefit of the public, but also for legislators. We hope that when they go back to parliament the law surrounding the death penalty may be revisited,” he said.
Online Reporter