Staff Writer
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has appointed a new Board of Directors for the 2025–2029 term, following appointments made by the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Honourable Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, with the approval of His Excellency, President Mangagwa.
Dr. Nozipo J. Maraire has been re-appointed as Board Chair for a second term, underscoring confidence in her leadership and the transformative progress achieved by the Council since 2021.
For many artists, her return was not merely an administrative decision—it was a signal of continuity. Since 2021, she had been known as a listener, someone who believed that stories, songs, and brushstrokes were not luxuries but lifelines. Her second term felt like a promise: that transformation would not pause halfway.
Around her gathered a diverse board—voices shaped by different paths, yet united by purpose. Mr. Raphael P. Mhone, thoughtful and measured. Brigadier General (Rtd) Richard Matambo, carrying discipline honed by service. Ms. Gail Van Jaarsveldt and Ms. Tariro Washe, bringing insight, empathy, and creative vision. Mr. Takawira Maswiswi, Ms. Sibongile Ncube, Mr. Farai I. Mpfunya, Mr. Lawrence Mkwala, and Dr. Lucia Mkandhla—each name a thread, ready to be woven into a stronger tapestry for Zimbabwean arts.
Their appointment, made by the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Honourable Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, with the approval of His Excellency President Dr. E.D. Mangagwa, carried weight beyond formality.
It spoke of trust—trust that art matters, that culture shapes identity, and that governance can walk hand in hand with creativity.
Outside the Council offices, artists went about their days. A young filmmaker revised a script. A sculptor smoothed stone beneath a jacaranda tree.
A choir rehearsed harmonies in a school hall. Many of them would never sit in boardrooms, yet the decisions made there would ripple into their lives—through funding secured, policies shaped, and programs opened to communities that had long waited to be seen.
As the new board’s four-year term began (2025–2029), there was also gratitude. The outgoing board members were remembered with respect, their efforts forming the foundation upon which new dreams could rise.
And so, without fanfare or applause, a new chapter started. Not with noise, but with intention. The kind that understands that art is more than expression—it is memory, resilience, and hope.
In Zimbabwe’s creative story, the pen had been passed carefully into steady hands, ready to write what comes next.
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