OUTSPOKEN artiste Seh Calaz, born Tawanda Mumanyi, has come out guns blazing towards the organisers of the annual National Arts Merit Awards (Nama), accusing them of politicising the ceremony and not awarding artistes on merit.
Seh Calaz said some of the organisers were artistes themselves, who were still craving for recognition and fame.
“Team rinomhanya masinhi acho iro vamwe havana kana idea yechi industry vamwe ma radio presenter,ma dancer,ma artists vanenge vachida kutozvihwinisawo,nevanogona kutaura chi Chinese,” he said.
With his statement, “vanopa vavanoda kupa,vozopawo wavanoudzwa nema sponsor or nevane political mhasuru kuti ipa uyo,” Seh Calaz is accuses the organisers for nepotism and awarding artistes a not on merit.
Seh Calaz is not the only artiste who has blasted the awards, a few days before the Namas United Kingdom-based musician Qounfuzed intensified his social media rants targeted at Nama organisers for supposedly snubbing him in this year’s nominees after he submitted for outstanding song category, outstanding male, outstanding diaspora and outstanding music video.
“To people that are saying we did not submit to Nama, we submitted in October 2022 and they received and confirmed, we are not sure what criterion is used with all Zimbabwe awards, but we will not submit any more of our works to any award shows,” posted Qounfuzed on social media.
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The Zimdancehall chanter went on to label fellow artistes, those who performed as ‘captured’.
“Ukaona vanoshedzwa kunoperfomer vanoita rehearsals for 3-4 weeks asi musi wema awards munhu anobhaiza kushamisika nekufara kuti apihwa award apa paanoshedzwa kuti huyai muimbe on the event anenge atoudzwa kuti wakagwina kare usatya pane ako atichakupa ,” he posted.
Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation (JCMC) events manager Tinashe Kitchen explained part of their preparation process to Standard Style. He said they began their themes and performance production process early June last year and began rehearsals from November.
“Our production of themes, artistes and performances starts as early as June. We fine tune the performances as we go, adding and removing elements based on ideas, feasibility and trends,” he said.
“By November most of the studio work begins and rehearsals start, thus the band starts in November, the dancers start in December then the main artistes come in January."
This year’s big performers were Tavonga Leo Magozz who also scooped two awards for Outstanding Newcomer and Outstanding Song of the Year, Dancehall chanter Freeman, born Slyvester Chizanga who scooped a double for the Outstanding Male Musician and Outstanding Album gongs also featured in a performance with Ex-Q.
Other Zimbabwean stars who performed were Mwenje Mathole, Hope Masike, Feli Nandi, Saintfloew, HolyTen, Juntal, Voltz JT, Mai Titi, Poptain, Tocky Vibes, Amara Brown, Herman and Andrea the Vocalist to mention but a few.
Seh Calaz in his social media post if the awards were genuine, people would not be so hurt about the outcome as there are obvious people who are not being given the awards on purpose which is in turn killing the industry.
He added that people would be working hard throughout the year to get that particular Nama recognition but in turn the organizers are robbing them of that.
“I dont think pane angarwadziwe nema awards if achipihwa vanhu chaivo,vanenge vakashanda gore racho,kune ma obvious anotonyimwa which is killing the industry.Munhu anenge atiwo igore rake mobirira robbery chaiyo and kuzoita futi mukana iwoyo it takes years,” he posted on his social media.
Asked if the absence of internationally recognised Zimbabwean musicians such as Winky D, Jah Prayzah, Enzol, Takura, Baba Harare could be aligned to anything that Seh Calaz posted, Kitchen responded that Nama was not about musicians only.
“Jah Prayzah performed in 2020, Enzo performed last year and we have worked with both Takura and Seh Calaz on projects in the past, we love them all,” said Kitchen.
“It is unfortunate, we cannot accommodate everyone. Also, Nama is not about musicians only it is about all forms of art in Zimbabwe. We try our best to accommodate as many artistes as we can.