Backstage Violence At The Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards (RoilBAA)

The 7th edition of the annual Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards (RoilBAA) recently took place in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, celebrating outstanding achievements in the arts industry. The event, held at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre, was a glamorous affair, with attendees dressing up for the occasion. One of the highlights of the evening was the recognition of various artists and their exceptional contributions to the arts.

Following the awards, however, unsettling claims and allegations have emerged involving Saimon Mambazo Phiri, a well-known arts practitioner and one of the organisers of the BAA. Reports suggest that Phiri was involved in a violent incident, allegedly assaulting a monitoring engineer during the event. In a statement seen by Pindula News, Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards Management said:

With all positives from the Awards and in line with enjoyment and celebrating the arts, it is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge an incident that happened backstage. The AWARDS TRUST sincerely apologises for the incident and would like to assure our creatives that it will not happen again, the stage is a safe environment. We have since reached out to the aggrieved camp who we have worked with since inception of the awards and in other events.

We do not condone violence in any form and nature. Apologies to everyone affected.

However, Phiri has yet to comment on the matter.

Among the winners was the popular Rhumba group Insimbi Zezhwane, who received two awards. They were honoured with the People’s Choice Award, which included a brand-new car as a prize, and the Outstanding MaEli Tshibilika Act. The group expressed gratitude for the support they have received, particularly in light of the tragic loss of some of their members in a road traffic accident earlier this year.

The RoilBAA also acknowledged the outstanding works of artists such as Black Umfolosi, Thandanani Women’s Ensemble, jazz guitarist Simbarashe Hudson, Thabani Moyo, and Ezra Sibanda. The awards ceremony featured captivating performances by local artists like Mzoe 7 and Umnikazi Wempuphu, as well as a special tribute to the late Hip Hop artist, Calvin Ncube.

In addition to the music category, other awards were presented, including the Outstanding Gospel Act Award, which went to Everton Mlalazi, the Outstanding Alternative Music Award, which was won by Fab G, and the Outstanding Male Artist Award, which was bestowed upon Calvin Mangena.

Prior to the event, the top ten nominees for the People’s Choice Award were announced, with the ultimate winner being determined by the votes of those in attendance. 

According to Nkue Nkala, one of the organisers, the BAA (Bulawayo Arts Awards) are meant to recognise and honour exceptional individuals and collaborative artistes and artists who have made significant contributions to the arts scene in Bulawayo, Matebeleland North, South, and even those originally from the region but now practising internationally.

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