Anne Nhira Feels The Heat After Getting Zodwa WaBantu Barred

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has blasted actress Anne Nhira over he request to have South African dance and socialite Zodwa Wabantu banned fr...

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has blasted actress Anne Nhira over he request to have South African dance and socialite Zodwa Wabantu banned from performing at the carnival calling her a mouthpiece for people who want to disrupt the showcase.

Speaking on Star Fm’s 326 Express, hosted by Phathisani Sibanda and KVG, Kaseke said he is convinced Nhira is acting on behalf of people who want the carnival to fail.

“Anne Nhira is just a mouthpiece. There are people who do not want the carnival to happen, people who do not want Zimbabweans to be happy and forget about the hardships we’re grappling with.

“Those are the people behind Anne Nhira’s antics.

“If she was genuine and had genuine concerns about Zodwa, she would have approached the right people, which is ZTA,

“I hear she wrote to the minister (Patrick Zhuwao, acting Minister of Tourism) and I hear the minister replied her.

Anne Nhira Feels The Heat After Getting Zodwa WaBantu barred

“But how we work in the government if someone complains about something straight forward like the carnival, which everyone knows is organized by the ZTA, well is such case, Minister Zhuwawo, I know he is very brilliant young minister, he would have consulted us over the issue so we give him the real picture, not what he is being misled to believe by this Nhira girl.

“In her individual capacity, which I do not mean to undermine, I do not think she has a reason to mislead the government like she has done.

“First things first, how did she know that Minister Zhuwawo is acting minister? I only just learnt of that this morning. So somone must have told her Cde Zhuwao is acting minister and he is the person behind all that Nhira is saying.”

Kaseke said the real picture is that Zodwa is not coming to Zimbabwe on a ZTA or government ticket but was invited by a private entity to perform at a Private Lounge.

Zodwa was invited and had her ticket paid for by Divine Entertainment, who run Private Lounges to perform on the 8th of September-in a private function that has nothing to with the carnival.

Then during a stakeholders meeting for the carnival we heard Devine Entertainment (who were part of the meeting) that Zodwa was performing at their venue.

The said they had invited Zodwa on the basis of the impact she made when she performed in Bulawayo. People really liked her there and they thought she could entertain the Harare crowd in similar fashion.

“So Zodwa was not invited by the ZTA or the government. She was invited by a private organization that runs private Lounges.

“In that meeting people then said we want Zodwa at the carnival and I am on record as saying

-in response to the pleas for Zodwa in that meeting

-that if you want Zodwa to perform t the carnival , there are conditions.

“One is that she should wear her under_wear and she can not perform at the carnival with no pant_ies as we hear she does in SA.

“I said we have leaders in the country, chiefs that lead us at tis carnival and they will not be happy to work with us if we allow Zodwa to perform like that as Zimabwe is still a very conservative society that upholds people’s culture and privacy.

“When this reached Zodwa she was not amused and said she has worked hard to create her brand and if the Zimbabwean people said they want her they must know that brand so setting conditions is attacking my personal liberties.

“I replied her and said if she thinks we are attacking her liberties we are very sorry. All I’m saying is ZImbabwe is a conservative society and for you to perform without panties, it would be impossible and she agreed to the conditions and is even on record saying that she will perform and will abide by the conditions”.


Zodwa was allegedly banned from performing at the upcoming Harare International Carnival after actress Nhira’s complaint.Following the complaint, acting Minister of Tourism, Patrick Zhuwao allegedly wrote back to Anne saying

“I acknowledge your complaint on the above subject matter. Government’s position is that the artist concerned (Zodwa Wabantu) may not participate at the Harare International Carnival. In this regard relevant authorities have been notified.

Karikoga said his office had not been notified almost 24 hours after the letter was allegedly written.

H-Metro spoke to Karikoga after his interview on Star Fm with the 326 duo of Phatisani and KVG nd he continued with his concerns bout Nhira’s legitimacy.

“Why is she misleading the government? Why?” he said.

“If she read about Zodwa, how did she miss the conditions I gave?

“The minister responded to Nhira without consulting us, that is my only problem because we ZTA are the organizers of the carnival for the minister.

And if this is what happened that he wrote to Nhira, because I have not seen the minister confirm if that is what he did. If he did he responded to misleading information. Nhira used hearsay information to mislead the minister.

“Whether Zodwa is there or not the carnival will still be a success. She does not have the impact to render that carnival a non-event with her absence but I fear the minister was misled by a mouthpiece for people who want to harm the carnival,”

“I hear because I do not know this Zodwa, that she takes off her pant_ies when she performs in public so I said she can not do so in Zimbabwe. She can do it in Durban if they allow that but not here.

Asked if ZTA put the same conditions on the Swazis whose culture allows them to walk topless, Kaseke said that is different.

“No, that is a different case. They are showcasing their culture and even in Zimbabwe we have places where brea_sts are not scared and we can allow that.

However for Zodwa, it is for entertainment culture and we can not do that in Zimbabwe. If we call the Swazis to showcase their culture, we can not stop them from doing so, but they wear pant_ies in Swaziland but to them bre_sts not private parts.”

Kaseke also emphasized that Zodwa is not coming to Zimbabwe on a lesbian ticket but strictly on her attributes as dance and socialite.

“We do not, and will never have a lesbian troop on the carnival as long as Zimbabwe sticks to its laws, ethics and culture, Lesbians will never be represented in our carnival. We re a serious tourism destination and we will welcome visitors regardless of what they are allowed to do in their country.”

Anne wrote on her Facebook wall: “Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, which should be one of the instigators of local exhibitions calls a ‘South African socialite, not celebrity. A socialite named provocateur Zodwa.

“In this case, Zodwa dances with no pan_ties and posts nak_ed pictures on social media. How does that qualify her to be a Zimbabwe national tourist attraction and attend a function of the highest stature this year.

“..we have one of the highest unemployment rates and whatever Zodwa, a South African provocateur who is not even one of the top socialites in SA is getting paid could’ve gone to another young Zimbabwean woman who has worked tirelessly and does so decently, or a dance if the intention was that particular?

“We have dancers and socialites in Zimbabwe who would benefit from this national tourist exposure.”

Minister Zhuwao was not available for comment until the time of going to print.

Source - H Metro

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