Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, Zimpapers Arts & Entertainment Hub
BULAWAYO’S creative scene is fuming after the beloved Munch & Sip Food and Drink Festival was abruptly shut down on April 20 — a move that organisers say is part of a broader crackdown by the City Council on arts and culture.
Organisers Lemongroove Brands slammed city officials for what they called deliberate sabotage of the event, despite their efforts to follow all permit rules. The council claimed by-law violations, but artistes and vendors aren’t buying it.
“It’s discouraging and feels completely out of step with the drive to grow Zimbabwe’s cultural economy,” said Lemongroove in a fiery statement after the shutdown. “We’re trying to build livelihoods — they’re shutting the doors.”
Munch & Sip, now a staple in Zimbabwe’s food and arts calendar, ended prematurely, leaving vendors thousands out of pocket and creatives questioning whether the city still values their work.
“This isn’t just about permits,” said one angry vendor. “It’s a pattern. First Queens Sports Club, now Munch & Sip — what’s next?”
Just weeks before, the City pulled the plug on live shows at Queens Sports Club, citing a dusty 1960 lease agreement that bans anything other than amateur sport. That decision forced the relocation of the much-anticipated Bulawayo Shutdown Concert set for April 26.
Critics say the council is hiding behind outdated laws while ignoring the evolving creative economy.
“The city is policing culture instead of promoting it,” said one local promoter. “If this continues, Bulawayo will lose its cultural soul.”
Despite the chaos, Lemongroove Brands vows to keep fighting.
“We are not deterred,” they said. “We’ll continue pushing for real engagement and policies that empower the arts.”
As frustration boils over, calls are growing louder for a proper cultural policy — one that supports the city’s claim as Zimbabwe’s creative capital.
Right now? That crown is slipping.
— Follow on X: @MbuleloMpofu
