LitFest Harare 2025 returns with a Kalanga-inspired theme, hosting over 80 artists across eight countries and celebrating multilingual storytelling, cultural memory and the evolving legacies of African art ( image source ) LitFest Harare returns for its 12th edition later this month with a Kalanga-inspired theme, “Lebeleka Takawilila” — “Speak, we are listening” — an invitation to hear ancestral voices, honour present rhythms and carry stories into the future. Festival direct

Alick Macheso’s surprise cornrows send Zimbabwe into a joyful online frenzy, sparking memes, cultural commentary, and a wholesome father-daughter reveal ( image source ) When Alick Macheso stepped on stage with freshly minted cornrows, the nation briefly forgot load-shedding schedules, Bybit scandals, and constitutional debates. For one glorious 24 hours, Zimbabwe united under one question: “Is Baba Shero… evolving?” In a plot twist worthy of a Sungura musical, Macheso arrive

Tiffany Haddish Goes Off follows Tiffany Haddish and her friends on a month-long journey across Africa, blending fashion, friendship, cultural exploration and vulnerable storytelling while spotlighting communities in Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Harare and Zanzibar ( image source ) Tiffany Haddish’s six-episode Peacock docuseries Tiffany Haddish Goes Off opens with a simple premise — four lifelong friends on a month-long journey through the continent — but the show quickly fram

Sungura veteran Gift Amuli is emerging as a strong contender for ZIMURA chairperson, with artists calling for creator-led leadership, reform and transparency ( image source ) Newly elected ZIMURA board member and Sungura veteran Gift Amuli has quickly become one of the names gaining traction in conversations about who should chair the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association. His reputation as a seasoned artist, his grassroots following, and his decade-spanning music career have pro

From Kwekwe to Cape Town and beyond, Zimbabwean artist King Ashwet’s journey spans music, acting, and radio ( image source ) Born in 1976 in the mining town of Kwekwe, Ashwet Phiri, known to the music world as King Ashwet, has spent a lifetime chasing the rhythm that first stirred in him as a child. His story is one of persistence, creative adventure, and cultural pride — a journey that began in the dusty schoolyards of the 1980s and has since crossed continents, airwaves, an

From Kwekwe to Cape Town, Zimbabwean drummer and vocalist Simba Saini has recorded over 124 albums, blending sungura, jazz, and Afro-fusion to keep Zimbabwe’s music alive across borders ( image source ) From Kwekwe to Cape Town, Zimbabwe-born drummer, vocalist, and band leader Simba Saini has crafted a remarkable musical journey that spans continents, genres, and hundreds of albums. Known affectionately as “Samanyanga,” Saini blends traditional Shona sensibilities with groove

A detailed look at ZICCO’s licensing reforms, royalty distribution changes and efforts to rebuild trust with creators as it prepares for its 2025 elective AGM in Bulawayo The Zimbabwe Council of Copyrights (ZICCO) has, over the past 18 months, positioned itself as a pivotal institution in the country’s creative economy. As the body responsible for collecting and distributing royalties while licensing businesses that use copyrighted works, ZICCO’s influence has grown in both o

Two brothers accused of murdering South African rapper AKA and businessman Tibz are set to be extradited from Eswatini after withdrawing their legal challenge ( image source ) MBABANE — Two brothers accused in the high-profile murders of South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and businessman Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane are set to be extradited from Eswatini to South Africa after abandoning their legal challenge to the transfer, authorities confirmed. Malusi and Siyabonga Ndima

The PANELZ PACE Dialogue brought together government officials and creative industry leaders to reform policies, simplify registration, and formalise protections for Zimbabwe’s artists ( image source ) HARARE — A landmark Policy Advocacy for Creative Empowerment (PACE) dialogue convened by the Performing Arts Network for Empowerment Leadership in Zimbabwe (PANELZ) on October 31, 2025, has been hailed as a major step toward strengthening Zimbabwe’s creative economy. The high-l

Zimbabwean film producer Marc T Mandisoul has been nominated for the Global Entrepreneurs Award at the Global Industry Awards in Accra, Ghana ( image source ) HARARE — Zimbabwean film producer Marc T Mandisoul has been nominated for the Global Entrepreneurs Award at the Global Industry Awards, an honour organisers say recognises excellence, innovation and transformational leadership across industries. The ceremony will be held from November 21 to 23 at La Palm Royal Beach Hot

Bulawayo gospel artist Nyashadzashe Muzhari shares his powerful journey from personal struggle to spiritual renewal, using music as a tool for healing, faith, and worship ( image source ) BULAWAYO — In a city where music is a pulse and faith a refuge, 33-year-old gospel artist Nyashadzashe Muzhari has turned personal struggle into a ministry of song. For Muzhari, music is more than performance; it is therapy, testimony, and a conduit for healing that reaches beyond the stage.

Creative producer Tobias Kusano’s two-decade rise from Rusvingo to the regional arts scene highlights his journey through Zimbabwe’s music and film industry ( image source ) Born into a working-class family of eight in Highfields, Tobias Kusano is an industry veteran who has built a two-decade career that bridges studio production, artist management, and grassroots arts development. His journey from Rusvingo Primary through multiple secondary schools and into the heart of Har

Miss Budiriro 2025 will spotlight the fight against drug abuse under the theme “Girl Child Against Drug Trafficking and Abuse,” with plans to partner with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service to promote rehabilitation and empowerment through fashion and advocacy ( image source ) HARARE – The Miss Budiriro 2025 Beauty Pageant is expanding its social mission with new plans to deepen advocacy around drug awareness, rehabilitation, and youth empowerment. Organisers have

Zimbabwe’s top female artists — Feli Nandi, Tamy Moyo, Gemma Griffiths, Shashl, and Nisha Ts — unite for Nubian Notes: The Rise of Her Sound, an all-female concert at the HICC blending performance, advocacy, and empowerment in Zimbabwe’s music industry ( image source ) Zimbabwe’s female music stars have flipped the script on concert promotion, taking to the streets to drum up support for Nubian Notes — an all-female showcase billed as “Mambokadzi: The Rise of Her Sound” that

Nubian Notes brings top Zimbabwean female artists to the HICC for a landmark all-women concert celebrating female leadership and visibility in music ( image source ) Top female musicians will headline Nubian Notes, an all-female concert celebrating women in music, at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) on November 8, in what promoters describe as the biggest single-night showcase of female talent in Zimbabwe this year. Organisers say the event underscores growin

Fabrik Party Convention 2025 returns to Harare from October 24–26 with runway showcases, visual art, film, live music and workshops empowering Zimbabwe’s underground creative economy ( image source ) Fabrik Party Convention 2025 returns to Harare this weekend, spotlighting Zimbabwe’s underground creative culture through a three-day festival running from October 24 to 26 at Alliance Française de Harare. The event brings together fashion designers, visual artists, filmmakers, m

The 2025 National Journalism and Media Awards (Njama) in Harare celebrate excellence under the theme “Impact and Information Integrity,” uniting media, government, and business to promote ethical journalism and public trust ( image source ) The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) hosts the 2025 National Journalism and Media Awards (Njama) in Harare this evening — a gala that celebrates excellence across investigative, developmental, environmental, data, and photojournalism un

Zimbabwean gospel legend Mai Charamba says she’s “too young to retire” after 30 years in music, preparing new releases and mentoring young artists while redefining longevity in Zimbabwe’s gospel scene ( image source ) Gospel music veteran Olivia “Mai” Charamba says she has no plans to retire after three decades in Zimbabwe’s music industry, telling Nehanda Radio she is “too young to become a retiree” as she prepares for continued recording and performance. Mai Charamba’s care

Whistleblowers have accused ZIMURA of systemic looting and governance collapse, prompting calls for a ZACC forensic probe as musicians demand transparency ahead of a disputed board election ( image source ) Whistleblowers have filed a detailed complaint with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), accusing the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) of long-running corruption, governance failures, and the diversion of royalties that have left musicians with negligi

ZIMU accuses auditors Baker Tilly of a flawed ZIMURA audit, citing governance breaches, fraud concealment, and missing disclosures ( image source ) HARARE — The Zimbabwe Musicians Union (ZIMU) has formally condemned the 2024 audit report of the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA), urging an immediate revision of the document and calling for a full regulatory investigation into the rights body’s governance. In a letter dated 19 October 2025 and addressed to the auditors