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Mudzvova takes aim at corruption

News
Defiant theatre artist-cum-political activist, Silvanos “Banditi” Mudzvova, on Wednesday defied the police and took aim at corruption in high places through a one-man play titled Dirty staged at the Parliament Building.

Defiant theatre artist-cum-political activist, Silvanos “Banditi” Mudzvova, on Wednesday defied the police and took aim at corruption in high places through a one-man play titled Dirty staged at the Parliament Building.

BY LORRAINE MUROMO

The actor could have aborted his theatre piece midway when a group of eight riot police officers descended on the scene.

They were, however, prevented from laying hold of him by members of the public, who had gathered to watch the play and they had to call for reinforcements, after which two trucks arrived with more police details.

The public could be heard imploring the police officers to leave Mudzvova alone because corruption was destroying the country.

They urged the police officers to go and arrest Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo, who is facing allegations of siphoning about $430 000 from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) coffers.

Mudzvova told NewsDay after the play that he was not afraid of staging his satirical plays, adding that Dirty was meant to expose the evils of corruption in the corridors of power, which has become the bane of the economy.

“I am not afraid at all because I am protected by the Constitution, which guarantees my right to life and protection by the State. The issues I am raising in this play are not treasonous. In fact, the President of this country raised them,” he said.

“Corruption is killing this country and we can’t leave it like that. If artists could all raise their voices, corrupt people would be arrested.”

Mudzvova said the play was inspired by how powerful figures accused of corruption were allowed to represent people in the august House despite their tainted images.

“It (the play) is meant to expose every minister and parliamentarian accused of corruption. It demands that they leave public office. Dirty is calling for Members of Parliament to effect citizen arrest on ministers accused of corruption,” he said.

Mudzvova said it was “traumatising” that nine months after it emerged that diamonds revenue worth $15 billion could not be accounted for, no investigations had been carried out to fish out the looters, let alone arresting them.

He said only “small fish” had been arrested in a raft of corruption scandals involving Zimdef, Premier Services Medical Aid Society and the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration — where corruption involving huge funds was also unearthed — hence it was “time for citizens to act”.