Moyo pens 'Before the Next Election'

by Staff reporter

2012 March 09 00:47:04 | 1277 Views

Playwright Bhekumusa Moyo, who is claiming his stake within the arts industry has come up with a new production likely to cause a stir in theatre circles.

Titled Before the Next Election, the play features a cast of three talented actors and is set to be a thriller revolving around the ills that come along with the announcement of elections in Zimbabwe.

Directed by Mgcini Nyoni, Before the Next Election is set to show at Amakhosi Theatre Centre in Bulawayo from March 22 to 23.

The play comes hard on the heels of the much-vaunted and first ever Gukurahundi play titled 1983, The Years before and After also written by Moyo which showcased in the city last year before touring other parts of the region.

A week before its showcase, the highly-charged political satire had been barred by the police but a swift intervention by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) saw the ban being lifted through the courts.

1983, The Years before and After has since been nominated for the 2011 Freemuse Freedom of Expression Award.

The constant talk of elections being held any time soon has of late been prompting Moyo to engage citizens on the matter through theatre.

In an interview with the Daily News Moyo said the play, Before the Next Election seeks to encourage people to participate in the voting process while also lobbying policy-makers to consider submissions by ordinary citizens as they are the ones grossly affected by electoral problems.

"The play's main highlight is the plight of a young lady who seeks to show the nation that every election has had a negative impact in the life of a woman.

"It encourages citizens to create an enabling and conducive environment for young ladies to freely participate in electoral processes," said Moyo, a poet.

"In this case we also want to enlighten the legislators of this land on policy making in view of finding lasting resolutions to some major factors that have been ignored when they affect the ordinary person on the street," he added.

The story revolves around a young girl who saw her mother and father die with her sister being raped in an election-violence encounter.

As a result of the horrific encounter, her sister has given up on voting and anything to do with elections.

But the young girl continues to encourage her to take a firm stand on her rights.

The play also highlights how a certain political party has been relying on employing ruthless tactics to buy votes from a defenseless electorate.

However, the play taps into unregistered voters while urging them to exercise their voting right in choosing a leader of their choice.

Moyo said the play will be supplemented by a discussion which will lead to the capturing of people's different views, exploring how the next elections can be undertaken if they are to mean anything to the ordinary citizen.

playwrighter

Source: Daily News