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Tawanda Marwizi: Arts Correspondent
The annual Mashonaland East Cultural and Arts Festival ( Mecuf) started yesterday at Murehwa with various activities lined up in the province. Fun-loving people will be treated to exciting activities that include workshops, exhibitions, musical shows and drumbeat competitions.Interestingly this year’s edition of Mecuf will run concurrently with the Jerusarema-Mbende Festival. Festival co-ordinator and Murewa Culture Centre director, Cuthbert Maziwa, said they have done their best to prepare for the event.
“We have set everything for the historic event. Every artiste be it performing or visual will have time to showcase their talent here at Mecuf,” he said.
Several schools from the province will be contesting in Mbende-Jerusarema competition.
There will also be theatre, poetry and mbira lessons, with renowned Jerusarema-Mbende groups like Ngoma Dzepasi, Makarekare and popular drummer, Douglas Vambe performing today while Malome Tau and his 10-member band will spice up the event.
Tomorrow there will be a tour of Murewa Caves, where the Mbende drumbeats will continue alongside other artistic disciplines, including modelling, that will be held at the culture centre.
Several musicians that include Winky D, Peter Moyo, Progress Chipfumo, Lady B, Faheem Somanje and Malome Tau will perform during the shutdown gig. Meanwhile National Arts Council of Zimbabwe will hand over the popular Jerusarema-Mbende Festival to the Murehwa community.
In a statement NACZ said the move was meant to empower the local communities through arts and culture.
“National Arts Council of Zimbabwe will this year handover Jerusarema Mbende Dance Festival to Murewa community with National Training and Conference of the Arts in Zimbabwe being a key partner in organising the Festival. This year’s edition will be organised by NACZ with NATCAZ to ensure a smooth transition that will ensure continuity of the annual festival and thereafter Murewa community will run the festival,” reads the statement
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