VOA常速英语2008年-Zimbabwean Playwright Gets Involved in Local Po

By Netsai Mlilo
Harare, Zimbabwe
25 March 2008

In Zimbabwe, renowned¹ playwright² Cont Mhlanga, is extending his repertoire… to include politics. He's contesting the upcoming polls in the hopes of becoming a rural councilor in the province of Matabeleland North. Mhlanga says he's going into politics to help villagers in the district of Lupane put a stop to corruption⁴, while also livening up his productions. Netsai Mlilo has the story...

 

In politics, Cont Mdladla Mhlanga is proving to be just as controversial as his plays. Mhlanga, who's seeking the right to represent villagers of Lupane Rural District's ward⁵ 15 in council, says he won't be joining other independent candidates in their support of presidential candidate Simba Makoni, who was formerly⁶ a finance minister for the ruling ZANU PF party.

 

"No," he says, "I am not with an independent party because no-one has approached me.  I don't know what to join."

 

Instead, Mhlanga says he's going it alone. He's confident he'll win…

 

"No. I don't have a party. I'm a playwright. Previously⁷, I was a political artist -- an artist focusing on political issues,  but now I have just swapped⁸ that.  Instead of being a political artist, I have become a politician who is an artist. "

 

He believes entering politics is the right move… not just for him, but for Lupane's development.

 

Mhlanga, who's branded himself Lupane's "opportunities champion'" says he hopes to help develop the district by getting villagers to hold government to account...

 

"I think I choose the right thing," he says, "You know I'm so excited I chose to go back to the people, work with them at a council level, local level then I can see where the gaps are and the biggest gap is information. They actually have no clue in terms of what's happening. They have no clue how to correct it."

 

Mhlanga argues most 'sharp minds' (as he puts it) rush to Parliament and Senate, leaving corrupt³ officials to run local governments. As an example, he cites the fact that several schools in Lupane have no doors despite the district producing a lot of timber. He says, as politician, he'll have the mandate⁹ of the people to question and demand answers.

 

"I'm saying to people when I campaign all I'm bringing here is wisdom, information to help you people ask the right questions and don't stop if you don't get the right answers from the right person."

 

Mhlanga, who's had several of his productions banned for criticizing the government, says if he has the backing of the people it will be impossible for the state to silence him.

 

He says he believes being an artist, as well as a politician, will enable him to produce "real drama" probing the nation's conscience.

1 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

2 playwright   

n.剧作家，编写剧本的人

参考例句：

• Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。
• The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

3 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

6 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

7 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

8 swapped   

交换（工作）( swap的过去式和过去分词 )； 用…替换，把…换成，掉换（过来）

参考例句：

• I liked her coat and she liked mine, so we swapped. 我喜欢她的外套，她喜欢我的外套，于是我们就交换了。
• At half-time the manager swapped some of the players around. 经理在半场时把几名队员换下了场。

9 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。