Enhancing issue-based story through drama

Art is a medium of communication in many areas more so with the upcoming tripartite elections, as there is need to inform voters properly.

Nanzikambe Arts has therefore extended its use of theatre for public education to the areas of Chingale, Chinsewu and Chipini under traditional authorities Mlumbe, Nkula and Lundu in Zomba, Machinga and Blantyre districts respectively.

Done as part of the ‘Tiyeni for Local Governance and Effective Decentralisation in Relation to Malawi 2014 Tripartite Elections’ project, Nanzikambe has trained locals to do conduct drama and communication in their communities.

“We are not taking a team of Nanzikambe core artists to those communities, we rather trained a selected number of people in those communities in interactive theatre techniques because they are the people who know the issues in their communities, and these people formed groups called Nanzikambe Social Action groups. These groups conduct monthly interactive drama shows on decentralization and election issues,” said Misheck Mzumara of Nanzikambe Arts.

Nanzikambe Arts managing director Chris Nditani, said that the organisation is grateful to DFID for giving them a six months grant, through the National Democratic Institute which runs from December 2013 to May 2014, as it has enabled the arts group to conduct issue-based civic and voter education which is enhancing democratic culture and practice at the grassroots level.

Peter Chaphata, a leader of the Nanzikambe Social Action Group based in Lirangwe, emphasised the need for political tolerance, peaceful acceptance of election results and inclusion of the elderly, people with disabilities and the youth at a drama show they organised at Katete Primary School last week.

Nanzikambe Arts is among the organisations that were accredited by MEC to conduct civic and voter education on elections.