The Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign

Reuters photo

By

Mbizo Chirasha

September 2017 to August 2018

Introduction

The Zimbabwean populace has for decades endured suffering as perpetuated by the machinations of a bad government. The government survives on violating  the rights of the people and intimidating the poor masses and, due to fear, they are coerced to support and vote for the tyrannical regime of Robert Gabriel Mugabe, who has held the helm of power since 1980.

It has been 37 years and the Mugabe regime is characterized by self-serving economic looters, corrupt fat cats and violent zealots who have turned the country into a police state. A lot of people with dissenting voices have been persecuted, killed or exiled. The regime thrives on threatening those who voice their concern in public or in the media. In Zimbabwe when you voice yours on any platform, you become the enemy of the state.

The masses are tired of this supressionalist behavior by the regime, hence the need to stand for the masses and give a voice to the impoverished through our poetry and verses. Words are mightier than the swords. In many countries around the globe including America poetry has been used as a tool for political, social and economic justice. Poets like Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes, for example, gave a voice to those wallowing in an unbalanced society.

The Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign embraces all poets and writers from Zimbabwe, Africa and around the globe who are willing to see a better Zimbabwe, if not the best, a Zimbabwe that respects human rights, a Zimbabwe that respects the constitution, servant leadership, a new Zimbabwe that respects a balanced approach  n the political, economic and  social landscape. Poets will speak and will remain the voice that will save Zimbabwe from further falling into serious crisis and doldrums.

Aims of the Campaign

# Giving a voice to the Zimbabwean people

# Ending the human rights abuses against citizens through poetry

# Creating v-logs, blogs and journals for human rights awareness through poetry and the written word

# Informing and educating citizens of their rights through poetry

# Participating in voter and election education through poetry

# Using poetry as a tool for social and citizen justice,

# Using social media and poetry as mediums of communication among Zimbabweans.

Programs of the Campaign

# Posting protest poetry against all injustices in Zimbabwe on 100 Thousand Poets for Peace- Zimbabwe Facebook Group and the MiomboPublishing Facebook

# Collaborating with International journals like Tuck Magazine in Canada and others in promoting the Zimbabwean poetry Voices

# Development of Communication mediums, arts platforms like vlogs, blogs to communicate on issues with poetry

# Launching the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign in Africa and other continents

# To hold the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Festival

# Holding Performances and reading sessions on the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign

Estimated Timeline/ Calendar

# September 2017- Launch of the campaign in the international media, Zimbabwean media and Facebook groups

# October 2017- Publishing a Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign journal with an international journal

# November 2017 –  Call for Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign Poetry Audios, Vlogs and Blogs

# January to February 2018 – Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign Readings and Performances across the globe

# March – Launch of the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign and preparations of the Poetry Festival

# April 2018 – A compiled CD and book of the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign

# June 2018 – End of the Campaign.

Watch this space, contact and keep up to date with Mbizo Chirasha for more information on the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign

Mbizo Chirasha

Mbizo Chirasha The Black Poet, works as a poet/writer in residence , creative/literary projects expert , poetry festivals manager and performance poet. He is an acclaimed international performances poet and is published in more than 60 journals around the the world, websites, anthologies and literary reviews. He also works as a media relations strategist and consultant.

Mbizo’s Poetry can be found at http://www.mbizotheblackpoet.blogspot.ca/ and blog at http://personalitiesofinspiration.wordpress.com/ also.