The Sunday Mail
Leisure Editor
TOP Zimbabwean promoters, bar owners and entertainers have said it is business as usual in the entertainment industry and they are looking forward to a profitable and incident free festive season.
Even organisers of massive gigs featuring international acts last week said nothing had changed — with publicity of the gigs going into overdrive as they target large crowds at their shows.OP Zimbabwean promoters, bar owners and entertainers have said it is business as usual in the entertainment industry and they are looking forward to a profitable and incident free festive season.
Following action taken by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) early Wednesday morning to restore order in the ruling party Zanu-PF, by targeting “criminal elements”, some players in the showbiz industry got jittery.
However, with shops, banks, transport operators and other service providers running as usual, it is all systems go in the entertainment industry with massive shows lined up.
Artistes Suluman Chimbetu, Oliver Mtukudzi, Winky D, Peter Moyo, Jah Prayzah, dancer Beverly Sibanda, Progress Chipfumo and Alick Macheso among many others, have been going about their business around the country as usual.
In the capital, the most happening places like Pabloz, Inakis, Private Lounge and News Café, where Military Touch Movement is hosting a ladies night this Thursday — business is said to be booming.
Nama reigning Promoter of the Year, 2 Kings Entertainment, who are set to bring to Zimbabwe Nigerian star Davido and Jamaican top performer Chris Martin before year end, said they had not encountered any mishaps so far in the course of carrying out their business and are not looking forward to any hiccups.
“We have a plan to end the year on a high. Chris Martin will be curtain raised for by mainly upcoming but immensely talented local artistes — we want to celebrate them. As we speak people are voting for their preferred artistes for that show, proving that even the fans are confident that whatever is happening politically has not and will not affect showbiz,” said Dee Nosh, of 2 Kings Entertainment.
Devine Assignments director Biggie Chinoperekwei, whose company runs a number of clubs and hospitality centres around the country, said following last Wednesday morning’s activities by the ZDF, nothing had been disturbed.
“Business has not gone down, there is no violence on the streets and our patrons are not being harassed. We have no intention of changing our plans for the festive season — those who want to party should know that our doors are always open and we are ready to serve,” said Chinoperekwei.
New kids on the block, Triplife Entertainment, who proved their exceptional organisational abilities when they brought in Jamaican superstar Tarrus Riley last month, are expected to host Nigerian superstar, Tekno, this Friday.
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The man behind Triplife Entertainment, Patrick Vijay Hundu, popularly known as VJ in showbiz circles, said everything is in order and they are expecting to stage a show of a lifetime at Alexandra Sports Club.
“Our local partners in the corporate sector and other stakeholders all have confidence that the situation in Zimbabwe is stable and does not affect business or pleasure in any way. So we are going ahead and we urge music fans to come in their numbers,” said VJ.
Time & Jazz proprietor and veteran promoter Josh Hozheri, who will be launching his Executive Sungura Nights this Thursday, said all his programmes are going ahead as planned and he is looking forward to a “bumper harvest” this festive season.
“This week we will have many VIPs, top businesspeople and socialites at our venue as we launch the Executive Sungura Nights, we have not encountered any problems.
“It is business as usual in all the other businesses that we run and we expect a bumper harvest this festive season as fun lovers are geared for a time of their lives, which we have been known to provide for close to two decades now,” said Hozheri.
Spencer Madziya, who runs The Volt which hosted a high profile event attended by top footballers, musicians, businessmen and politicians last weekend, said business was actually picking up.
“Our VIP table bookings are full for upcoming shows with Sulu (Suluman Chimbetu) performing this Friday (last week) and our Epic Sunday gig is overly subscribed this and every other weekend. Merrymakers know that they are not in harm’s way and they are already gearing up for the festive season. The party continues!” he said.
The Sunday Mail’s network of reporters and correspondents based in towns and cities around Zimbabwe reported “calm and anticipation”, but with no disturbances to anyone’s day-to-day business.
As the festive season shifts into higher gears in the coming weeks, it is expected that things will only get better as the money-spinning period sees entertainment becoming the order of the day with a number of festivals and other high-profile events lined up.
