OUTSPOKEN former member of Shatel Saboi Imbeola says the National Arts Council (NAC) has no powers dissolve the Maiko Zulu Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM) interim committee.
Her statement came after NAC issued a statement in the media dissolving the music body, after it failed to usher in a new executive last week at an event that was characterised by confusion.
On her facebook page, Ms Imboela argued that NAC was subordinate to ZAM, not the other way round.
“The only thing that is due for dissolution now is NAC. Infact, putting that Interim Committee in place was the only thing all delegates seemed to have agreed on unanimously,” she said.
She advised NAC to read the constitution and prove to people why artistes have been crying for their removal.
She said the ZAM Annual General Meeting (AGM) was the highest decision making body of the Association and the AGM decided on the old executive to act as an interim until all matters are resolved.
Ms Imboela said it was ZAM, under the chairmanship of the late Webster Malama that created NAC, saying ZAM was not NAC’s baby but rather NAC was a baby of ZAM.
“So if our baby feels that they have grown too many teeth that they continue to bite us with instead of chewing the food we give them, then the next thing that will happen is that we can probably disaffiliate ourselves from the confusion of NAC – which has always been worse than any Association,” she said.
She said artistes can lead themselves- whether as same groups or divided on genres of music.
By the way, this is 2014 and the tenure of the current NAC should have come to an end in 2013. Can people start looking for jobs elsewhere than treat NAC like it’s their life-line,” she said,
According to her, NAC does not even exist until the new councilors are appointed for 2014.
According to Maiko Zulu the confusion at the ZAM AGM was caused by people who brought choirs to vote for them expecting that each choir member is going to vote.
Thus, SACCORD the election monitors called off the elections until elections issues were resolved.
A lot of phone calls and messages from people asking about the so-called ZAM dissolution by NAC. Be rest assured, esp musicians that NAC has no powers to dissolve the Interim Committee we put in place at an AGM until we resolve our problems. As far as i know, THE ONLY THING THAT IS DUE FOR DISSOLUTION NOW IS NAC. Infact, putting that Interim Committee in place was the only thing all delegates seemed to have agreed on unanimously. I ADVISE NAC TO READ OUR ARCHAIC NAC ACT BEFORE THEY FOOL THEMSELVES AND PROVE TO PEOPLE WHY ALL ARTISTS HAVE BEEN CRYING FOR THEIR REMOVAL. The Confusion, though unfortunate and sad- esp that it was called by people we don’t even know and as far as im concerned, have probably never even held a microphone in their lives, was an internal matter that a Council like NAC, which we have the right to affiliate to or not, cannot decide to take such a laughable decision on. GONE are the days when NAC could dissolve the ZAM Executive anyhow, steal our programmes and put their friends as the so-called Care taker Committee. If its the Strategic Plan u want- which you as a so-called National Arts Council DONT EVEN HAVE, U WILL NOT HAVE or interfere with it-. Work hard and make your own- we have had it with people that pretend to be working, overstay in positions and yet cant strategically plan for the arts. 2014 should be the year to clean out the Arts from the head downwards- AND IT STARTS NOW!!! The AGM of ZAM is the highest decision making body of the Association and the AGM decided on the Old Executive to act as an interim until all matters are resolved. As ZAM members, that is the decision you should all be comfortable with as the one that is legal and binding. Remember that it was ZAM, under the chairmanship of the late Webster Malama that created NAC- and we are not their baby but rather NAC is our baby. So if our baby feels that they have grown too many teeth that they continue to bite us with instead of chewing the food we give them, then the next thing that will happen is that we can probably disaffiliate ourselves from the Confusion of NAC- which has always been worse than any Association. Artists can lead themselves- whether as same groups or divided on genres of music. So to get other people that don’t even know what music is all about and burden them with the so-called responsibility of overlooking the affairs of ZAM SHALL NOT HAPPEN. I would rather we even get one of those little boys and girls who showed up from the choirs and we put them as acting- Not the irrelevant and FUNNY NAC decision. By the way, this is 2014 and the tenure of the current NAC should have come to an end in 2013. Can people start looking for jobs elsewhere than treat NAC like its their life-line….. To me, NAC doesn’t even exist until new Councilors are appointed for 2014- SO CLEAN YOUR HOUSE BEFORE YOU THROW YOUR DIRTY BROOM AT ZAM- u have MORE to clean than anyone else or all arts Associations put together.
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