adminLiberty Dube
THE National Arts Council of Zimbabwe has promised to crack the whip on entertainment venue owners and arts and music promoters in Manicaland province who are operating illegally and constantly desisting from registering their entities and activities.
The NACZ Manicaland province exclusively revealed recently that almost all entertainment venues in Mutare were operating illegally and were contravening the Arts and Culture promoters Section 19 of Statutory instrument 87 of 2006 and Statutory instrument 166 of 2009 that regulates the legal operations of promoters in Zimbabwe. Last year only Senator Promotions (Pick and Save) and Amber Hotel Mutare were registered to host entertainment gigs.
Among other prominent entertainment venues such as hotels, night clubs, sports bars, restaurants, open air entertainment joints that were not registered as of December 31, 2014 include Mutare Motoring Club, Afri Pot, Tops Nite Club, Dangamvura Hotel, Courtauld Theatre and Mountview Hotel. In Rusape, Lion’s Head, Crocodile Motel are some of the entertainment providers that are yet to register as well as Chipinge’s Dzonzayi Night Club and Chipinge Country Club. Most promoters in Mutare are also operating illegally.
According to Statutory Instrument 87 of 2006 Part IV (4), no arts promoter shall operate in terms of NACZ regulations without being registered.
The NACZ’s core functions include fostering, developing and improving the knowledge, understanding and practising of the arts and their presentation, performance, execution to various publics.
NACZ Manicaland provincial manager Jonah Muchayi said he was “very worried” by the behaviour of several promoters and venue owners who were desisting from registering the entities and activities to the council.
He urged artistes to work with promoters who have valid promoters’ licence issued by the NACZ to avoid cancellation of shows.
“All artistes must sign a contract form before offering services. All those promoters who engage artistes as well as entertainment activities should be cleared by National Arts Council. Arts and cultural groups, for instance, bands, theatre groups, traditional dance groups, individual artistes and promoters of dancehall should also register with us before operating,” Muchayi said.
He added: “Those willing to register should come to our offices at 43 Tembwe Road within the District Administrator’s offices.”
By the time of going to press, NACZ were yet to establish the new stipulated penalties that punish a person who contravenes any provision of the regulations.
In 2011, anyone guilty of an offence was liable to a fine not exceeding $5 000 or face imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
Online Reporter