Prominent artiste Abdon Yezi has called for a cease fire between Mulenga Kapwepwe and the Saboi Imboela faction concerning the leadership of National Arts Council.
In a statement, Mr Yezi who is proprietor of Yezi Arts said he is compelled to call for restraint and end to the unfortunate attacks that have characterised the National Arts Council (NAC) Saga.
He said it is unfortunate development particularly that it has become demeaning to not only the persons but attacks on each other’s characters.
Mr Yezi said the character assassination is unprecedented and uncalled especially that the arts fraternity know all the personalities and hold all of them in high esteem.
He said Ms Kapwepwe and Ms Imboela are personalities with rich professional and academic credentials and public standing in society.
Mr Yezi has since suggested that the industry holds an Indaba to discuss issues of development in the sector rather than the personality crisis that it has been subjected to.
“We need an indaba and in addition, NAC or the otherwise Commission to be established are public institutions in which people should go to serve and diligently account for the actions they take.,” he said.
He added, “While the artists are not a homogenous group, to the outside world each one of us are considered as artists and the fact that it is artists who are daggers drawn our repute continues to be dented unnecessarily. The concerns raised at any given stage of this debate are genuine and should not be relegated to personal interests. The slow pace of development of the arts and cultural sector is of concern to all industry practitioners.”
Mr Yezi said, “Zambia lags behind, and that is the fact, and the solutions for its development squarely lies in the industry practitioners. The answers are not in one individual or the other but as a collective response. Specifically to what has been obtaining in the last couple of weeks, we have heard the different concerns, criticisms, and in some instances emotive positions. It is enough.”
He added, “Sadly, we also observe that no mechanism, within the National Arts Council or indeed the parent Ministry exists in times of conflicting positions as these. This is yet another very unfortunate development because by this time even the ‘warring’ parties would have been called to seek amicable options than the annoyance that continues through the media.”
“Can we please have our INDABA to discuss issues of development in the sector rather than the personality crisis that we have been subjected to. In addition, NAC or the otherwise Commission to be established are public institutions in which people should go to serve and diligently account for the actions they take,” he said.
There has been raging debate about the continued stay in office of current NAC Chairperson Mulenga Kapwepwe with Saboi Imboela formerly of the Shatel fame spearheading the debate.
Why even the debate in the first place?
Did Kapwepwe elect herself to that position?
Do a review of the constitution governing the NAC and perhaps one will see where the problem is.
Fight and review the constitution and not the person.
Its not ‘Wamuyaya’ but if there’s no term limit, why not enjoy the privilege?
“Prominent artiste”
Media bias as usual, let’s also see similar titles like prominent Lusaka accountant, Prominent bus driver, prominent engineer, prominent Kitwe prostitute etc
Chosen one! You make my day!
Ba Yezi, have you stopped acquiring properties fraudulently?
Eh eh!! So tulibengi abamwishiba uyu muguys!!??
How can A bemba sucuum to a LOZI ? IMPOSSIBLE , KAPWEPWE IS HERE TO STAY
Ka saboi is bitter, she thinks she knows better and deserves the position. Some of these so called singers are not even talented. Just because they had access to a micro phone and had one Ka radio hit song does not mean they should get rich. Their music is not even marketable, only good for radio listening. I wouldn’t pay a dime to listen to that crap, wont even play it in my car. We had real talented artist like Paul ‘Nozi’ Nyirongo, Masasu, Mulemena boys, Larry Malumo, P.k Chishala, Shalawambe etc and not these wana be rich and famous computer music kids. All there music sounds the same. No real talent per say.
No wonder your name describes you properly. Full of negative emotions in your mind.
Apparently Soboi gets that masters degree from that second rate Australian university and all of a sudden she becomes big headed.She might have had succeeded in booting Owas Mwape out of their matrimonial home and changing their children surnames to her maiden name,but NAC is not Owas Mwape or her home.It is about time she came back to earth.
Not that I support either Saboi or Kapwepwe but University of Canterbury (New Zealand), is not a second rate university!!!
Yeah right.It is still not among the top 200 in the world.
Baba, it’s clear she rejected your advances. Why so bitter?
The attacks have been from one side only. This is from people who want to overthrow Kapwepwe. Correct me if I am wrong because I have not followed this closely. Why cant the musicians concentrate on what they know best – singing? If they are good, there music will sell internationally through platforms like iTunes. But Zambian music is childish at the moment and it can only sell in Zambia if at all it sells. I buy music from iTunes by African musicians like Hugh masekela, Meiway, etc because their music is mature and truly African.
don’t mudsling lets talk you nice differently talented women. I promise you a land full of milk and honey and it wont be long. There in no fire to cease here, just little perceptions of visions and expectations. It is said in my chewa language ‘best nyau dancers stretch their feet in each others paths’
The reporting is pathetic! Broken English all over. This kind of journalism makes me weep for the young boys and girls who read these stories in print. A few lessons in grammar:
This sentence has no meaning: He said it is unfortunate development particularly that it has become demeaning to not only the persons but attacks on each other’s characters.
This one too: Mr Yezi said the character assassination is unprecedented and uncalled especially that the arts fraternity know all the personalities and hold all of them in high esteem.
When two people are fighting we refer to them as both not all
Mulenga Kapwepwe is not an artist, period! What is her calling? That is what she should concentrate on.
Iwe ci blagos ulichipuba.mulenga kapwepwe ni artist *****.do you follow what happens in artistic circles