May 2024

  By Lastword Musekiwa The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has announced the appointment of Napoleon Nyanhi as its new Director taking over from Nicholas Moyo who was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture in October 2023. In a statement NACZ board chairperson Dr. Nozipho Maraire said: “As an institution dedicated to promoting and nurturing artistic excellence across the nation, the NACZ is confident that Nyanhi’s leadership will allow NACZ to realise its restructuring vision, strategic goals and stakeholder needs.” Nyanhi is no stranger to the world of arts and culture as he was Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation (JCMC) Managing Director and also served as the Executive Director of the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) since 2019, as well as producers of one of the biggest talent search shows, Dreamstar Zimbabwe among other things. Over the years, Nyanhi has held various influential roles within the media and arts community, including being Production Manager at C Media Africa, Founding Station Manager of Capitalk FM, and Programming Manager – Star FM. Throughout his career, Nyanhi has demonstrated a deep understanding of the transformative power of the arts to inspire, educate, and unite communities. In his new role as Director, Nyanhi will be responsible for executing the strategic direction of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, fostering partnerships with key stakeholders, and championing the importance of the arts in society. He will play a pivotal role in advancing the Council’s mission to support and promote the development of the arts for the benefit of all Zimbabweans.

  By Lastword Musekiwa Jazz and pop soulful singer Hope Masike has been appointed to the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association’s (ZIMURA) board of directors.In a statement ZIMURA said Masike’s appointment is effective from 13 May 2024. “Following the departure of Phillip Chipfumbu, the Board conducted a thorough selection process to fill the vacancy and ensure compliance with the ZIMURA constitution (Section 36 ofthe Memorandum and Articles of Association), which mandates a seven-member Board,” said ZIMURA in a statement. “Masike, a renowned musician, brings valuable skills, a wealth of experience and expertise to the Board. Her deep understanding of the music industry, coupled with her proven success as a musician, will be invaluable in advancing ZIMURA’s goals of advocating for members’ rights and improving royalty payouts,” added ZIMURA. She takes over the Events and Planning Portfolio which was held by her predecessor. The current ZIMURA Board consists of the following members Albert Nyathi – Board Chairperson, Farai Batani- Vice Chairperson, Alexio Gwenzi – Director of Information, Media and Publicity, Mudiwa Hood – Director on Innovation and Strategy, Janet Manyowa- Board Treasurer, Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Deputy Minister, Dingumuzi Phuti – Director responsible for Relationship Management & Liaison, Witness Zhangazha – Board Legal Advisor. Established in 1982, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association – (ZIMURA) is an association for Music Composers, Authors and Publishers. It was founded to protect some of the rights granted to creators of music by the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act of Zimbabwe, Chapter 26:05.