DigitalX

Open Parly

Open Parly  promotes transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in Zimbabwean politics by enabling citizens to engage with their elected representatives and government officials. The platform provides information about parliamentary proceedings, committee hearings, and other government activities, as well as facilitating public consultations and debates around important policy issues. The project operates in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria and Somalia. 

Open Parly is an initiative of Magamba Network that seeks to strengthen youth engagement and participation in Parliamentary processes.  The Open Parly Africa project has rapidly spread on the continent and currently has operations in Zimbabwe (Open Parly ZW), Zambia (Open Parly ZED), Nigeria (Open Parly Nigeria) and Somalia (Kalfadhi.com). Open Parly’s innovations have received global attention with its powerful Twitter Spaces discussions being officially recognised by Twitter for curating inclusive platforms and being an initiative which seeks to “increase public access to parliamentary affairs in Zimbabwe” and at the same time for hosting a panel discussion to address the pros and cons of mandatory voter registration in Zimbabwe. Open Parly ZW – with a Twitter audience of over 200,000 young people – was nominated at the African Digital Media Awards 2022 as one of the continent’s leading media platforms for Best Audience Engagement. Open Parly Africa provides young people and grassroots movements with real-time access to parliament and council information. Through its civic tech initiatives, dashboards and API, the project has created Africa’s largest network of Parliament and government data. Open Parly ZW reaches over 12 million impressions per month on Twitter and its team of committed young citizen journalists covers more Parliamentary sessions than even the national broadcaster, ZBC. The success has spread on the continent as Open ParlyZED in Zambia inspired the national parliament to start live streaming its sessions, Open Parly Nigeria is now running across 4 states in Africa’s most populous country while Kalfadhi in Somalia has developed a niche for engaging young Somalis on critical political issues in a country that is hugely dangerous for journalists. Open Parly Africa has shown its power to engage young people, to adapt to local contexts and to drive progressive policy change.

In 2019 Open Parly  launched a hyper local initiative that focuses on Councils called Open Council. The Open Council initiative focuses on local authority meetings and activities across Zimbabwe. Open Council has initiatives in Harare, Masvingo, Mutare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Chitungwiza and Marondera

Magamba TV

Magamba TV is one of the country’s leading production houses for political satire and comedy shows, which use humour to speak truth to power. Magamba TV has been praised as “Sharp satire for troubled times” by The Economist and labelled as “Bold, daring and very talented” by the BBC. Magamba TV has seen impressive results: Spontaneous Uptake & Spreading of Alternative Information by the Youth –Magamba TV saw its Gazaland production go viral on the streets of Zimbabwe. The show which criticises police brutality and the government clampdown on civic activists saw extremely high views on YouTube (totalling 1,346,000 views over the season).This demonstrates the success of using satire to address key political issues. Magamba TV also had three nominations at the 2022 National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) including being nominated for best Online TV Production.

GAZALAND POLICE STATION | Sn 02 | Ep 06 | Community

Moto Republik

Moto Republik is the first creative hub in Zimbabwe, igniting a spark of innovation in Zimbabwe. Born out of a deep-rooted need for artistic spaces. What began as a response to the scarcity of creative spaces in Zimbabwe has evolved into a versatile haven for creators of all stripes. Moto Republik provides a dynamic platform where artists, designers, and creatives from various disciplines converge, collaborate, and showcase their extraordinary works and help to build a vibrant and dynamic creative community in Harare and beyond unleashing the untapped potential of Zimbabwe’s artistic community. 

The hub hosts an array of captivating events and exhibitions throughout the year. From mesmerizing art shows to exhilarating concerts, thought-provoking film screenings, and enlightening talks, our calendar is always abuzz with creative energy. These events serve as a springboard for local artists and creatives to present their unique talents to a broader audience, while simultaneously cultivating a thriving and dynamic creative community in Harare. Moto Republik spearheaded the first Women’s Cypher in Zimbabwe. And since its inception, the cypher has featured women rappers from Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Mozambique and Zambia. 

In a groundbreaking partnership, Moto Republik became the proud home of UNESCO’s pioneering pilot program, the Resiliart Accelerator, in 2022. This transformative initiative was designed to bridge existing knowledge and capacity gaps in entrepreneurial skills within the creative industry. Over a transformative 12-month period, the accelerator provided mentorship and guidance to five exceptional women creative professionals from across Zimbabwe. Through collaboration and shared expertise, these entrepreneurs fortified their business skills and honed their professional capacities, empowering them to enhance the reach and scale of their creative enterprises. 

Moto Republik is committed to fostering an inclusive and safe space for all. We strive to provide an environment where marginalized groups, including the LGBTQIA+ communities, can thrive and express themselves freely. Our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion is at the core of our values, ensuring that every individual feels respected, valued, and empowered within our hub. By actively supporting and championing the LGBTQIA+ communities, Moto Republik contributes to the greater movement for equality and social progress.

The hub extends its impact beyond Zimbabwe’s borders through its involvement in the Creative South Network. This regional peer-to-peer platform unites five influential creative hubs across Africa: Moto Republik, Anima and Mafalala Museum in Mozambique, Gilbert’s House in Botswana, Creatives Garage in Kenya, and Modzi Arts in Zambia. The Creative South Network fosters collaboration, knowledge sharing, and growth among hubs and creatives throughout the continent. Through this invaluable network, Moto Republik continues to inspire and empower creatives not only in Zimbabwe but also across Africa and beyond.

Shoko Festival

Shoko Festival: Zimbabwe’s Biggest Celebration of Urban Culture

Shoko Festival is a vibrant and inclusive event that stands as Zimbabwe’s largest and longest-running festival of urban culture. With its diverse range of artists and attendees, the festival combines various forms of expression, including performance arts, new media, and civic activism. Shoko Festival provides a platform to celebrate free expression and politically conscious art.

Recognized for its excellence in promoting urban culture, Shoko Festival won the prestigious Promoter of the Year award at the Zim Hip Hop Awards in 2012, 2013, and 2020. The festival has played a crucial role in creating opportunities for Zimbabwean artists, leading to international tours across Africa, the USA, and Europe.

One of Shoko Festival’s remarkable achievements is the Peace In the Hood concert, held in a high-density area in Harare. This concert aims to bring the festival experience to the community at no cost, while also promoting local performers who are given the opportunity to share the stage with the Shoko headliner. Renowned artists such as Moonchild (South Africa), the late AKA (South Africa), and Zimbabwe’s own house queen, ShaSha, have graced the Shoko Festival stage as headliners.

Throughout its history, Shoko Festival has witnessed several memorable moments. In 2022, the festival hosted the Roast of Honourable Themba Mliswa, a Zimbabwean Member of Parliament. This groundbreaking event was the first roast of its kind in Zimbabwe and garnered immense popularity, selling out days before the actual event. The Roast has currently become one of the most viewed videos on the Shoko Festival YouTube Channel.

In recent years, the festival introduced the Women’s Cypher, an exciting addition to the program. This segment features collaboration and performances from ten talented women rappers from across the region. In 2022, the cypher included artists such as TMRES Awage from Mozambique, Dj Lady Light from Zambia, and local rappers Mary Jane and Lisa Alfonso from Mutare.

Adapting to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Shoko Festival demonstrated its resilience by being one of the first festivals in Zimbabwe to transition to a virtual format in 2020. The festival’s iconic set designs became a source of inspiration for numerous events throughout the country. Furthermore, many artists who performed during the virtual edition received nominations for the Zim Hip Hop Awards.

Apart from the music and performance aspect, Shoko Festival also hosts the Hub Unconference, which stands as one of Zimbabwe’s biggest digital media conferences. The event invites speakers from across Africa to address a wide range of issues and topics, including the African Satire Convention, Women Create Worlds, The Mayors Forum, and the State of the Internet Address.

Asaph Afrika, also known as Tafadzwa Tarukwana, is a Bulawayo-based artist who co-headlined the Shoko Festival in 2018 with South African artist Moonchild. Asaph Afrika once again performed during the virtual edition of the festival in 2020. Notably, in 2022, Asaph Afrika was signed by Def Jam Africa, further cementing his reputation as a rising star.

Shoko Festival continues to harness African talent and remains a significant cultural event in Zimbabwe, serving as a platform for artists to showcase their skills and amplify their voices.

Asaph Afrika –https://www.defjam.africa/artist/asaph/

https://www.zimbojam.com/shoko-festival-defiance/ 

https://www.musicinafrica.net/fr/node/1721 

https://www.greedysouth.co.zw/2023/04/the-ultimate-guide-to-zimbabwean-music.html 

https://www.thesouthernafricantimes.com/zimbabwes-urban-cultural-event-shoko-festival-harnesses-african-talent/ 

The Feed ZW 

The FeedZW – People, Planet, Power. A vibrant multi award winning alternative media platform that produces cutting edge video, visual and audio content. Launched in April 2018, The Feed ZW works with a network of citizen journalists that produce video content that focuses on social, economic, environmental and political justice issues for young people at the grassroot level. The main target of The FeedZW is young people aged between 18-35 years old, whose voices it seeks to amplify. 

The FeedZW was ranked one of the most reliable sources of news during the 2018 elections. In 2021, one of our documentaries titled ‘Two Good Hearts, Till Death Do Us Part’, was nominated for the Luxor Africa Film Festival and the Silicon Valley Africa Film Festival awards.

The FeedZw was also awarded best documentary producer for our story on drug abuse by the EU 

Two Good Hearts, Till Death Do Us Part | Documentary

In 2022 The FeedZW won two awards for best mining story and best gender reporting for two of our documentaries