By Passmore Ndlovu
Complete Arts Project in partnership with Amnesty International Zimbabwe, the European Union delegation to Zimbabwe and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Zimbabwe commemorated the World Day Against Death Penalty recently in Harare urging the government to act on putting death to the death penalty.
A theatre production ‘Murder They Wrote’ which was written and directed by Peter Churu and choreographed by Hillary Indi was performed.
In a tragic story inspired by the Booker Prize nominated; The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed, justice is not only denied but miscarried. All this was portrayed with Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi leading a stellar ensemble of actors and dancers.
Key note presentations were done by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Hon Ziyambi Ziyambi, Former Co-Chair of COPAC and ZANU PF Secretary of Legal Affairs Hon Munyaradzi Paul Mwangwana, Amnesty International Zimbabwe Programs Manager Roselina Muzerengi and Lourdes Chamorro from the E.U Delegation to Zimbabwe.
In his speech, Hon Mangwana said it was not enough to say that Zimbabwe has not been carrying out the death penalty for more than sixteen years. However, he says that it is now the time to abolish it and pride ourselves for not sentencing people to death.
Complete Arts Project Chairperson Tendai Tshakisani Makavani says that their organisation wishes to bring Zimbabwe into a conversation and make sure they endow a better justice value for future generations.
For years now, art particularly theatre has been used as a tool for advocacy and raising awareness on various sociopolitical issues. It provides citizens with safe platforms to engage and discuss about their own issues.
The World Day Against the Death Penalty is the brainchild of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and was first organised in 2003. It is commemorated to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.
It is also aimed at raising awareness on the conditions which affect prisoners with death sentences in the world.
While Zimbabwe is often referred to as a De Facto Abolitionist state by the virtue of not having carried out the execution for this long, it is urged to totally abolish the death penalty.
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