Police ban Amakhosi Theatre play in Bulawayo

By Tererai Karimakwenda
June 14, 2007

The government has once again exercised its oppressive arm by banning a new play called The Good President in Bulawayo. The police showed up at the Theatre on opening night Wednesday and shut down the Amakhosi Theatre production claiming it was not a play but a political gathering. They said such an event needed permission from the Commanding Officer.

The Good President was written and directed by Cont Mhlanga and produced by Daves Guzha. The writer described it as a play about an old woman who wants to go vote and evaluates her president by talking to her grandson. Mhlanga said police asked the audience to disperse and took him to Bulawayo Central Police Station. A district commanding officer told him to apply for permission to run the play. But Mhlanga insisted there was no law that required a play to apply for permission. And the same play had run in Harare with no such a requirement.

An urgent application to the High Court was submitted immediately and Mhlanga said they had been granted a hearing on Friday. He explained that the police used the Public Order and Security Act to close their production, but theatre did not fall under this category.

As with the last play by Amakhosi called Pregnant With Emotion, the audience is invited to discuss the issues central to the story after the performance. Mhlanga said theatre is great way to get people talking about issues affecting their lives. He hopes the High Court allows The Good President to complete its four-day run.