How Trailblazing Women Comedians Are Disrupting the Patriarchy in Zimbabwe
"We don't get afforded the same grace to just be viewed as humans as the men are."
By Amanda Källstig, Doctoral researcher at University of Manchester
In 2019, Zimbabwean comedy made international news when comedian Samantha Kureya, known on stage as Gonyeti, was abducted and tortured by masked gunmen.
She is one of many comedians in Zimbabwe who have faced violent repercussions for their comedy. Interviewing 23 stand-up comedians in Zimbabwe in 2018 and 2019, I was made aware of how several comedians had been intimidated, harassed, or arrested because they joked about the “wrong” political party, policy, or decision.