Samantha Kureya

Samantha Kureya
Born (1986-09-16) September 16, 1986
Mufakose, Zimbabwe
Other nameGonyeti
OccupationComedian
EmployerBustop TV

Samantha Kureya, also known by her stage name Gonyeti, is a Zimbabwean comedian known for her political satire and resulting harassment by the Zimbabwean government.[1]

Biography

Kureya was born 16 September 1986, in Mufakose, Zimbabwe, the eldest of four children.[2] She attended Mufakose High School.[3] Her mother was an actress; Kureya's first acting role was in 2008 in the local drama "Kusika Moto".[2][4][5] She has since acted in a number of television shows. In 2015, she joined the online comedy channel PO Box TV, which later rebranded to Bustop TV.[3][6] She received her stage name in her first skit, named after a Shona slang term for a type of large truck.[7][8] Alongside Sharon "Magi" Chideu, Felistas "Mai T" Murata, and Tyra "Madam Boss" Chikocho, she performs the skit comedy show Drama Queens on Bustop TV.[9][10]

Harassment and kidnapping

Kureya has performed multiple skits satirizing the Zimbabwean government and police.[11][12] In February 2019, Gonyeti and Chideu were arrested and fined US$20 for wearing police uniforms in a 2016 comedy video,[13][14] with the police warning the pair that their skits were becoming increasingly political.[11][15] This led to condemnation from two former ministers of Zimbabwe and the US embassy in Harare.[16]

On 21 August 2019, Kureya was abducted by masked men armed with assault rifles who identified themselves as police officers.[1][15] She was subsequently beaten with sjamboks, stripped naked, and forced to drink water contaminated with sewage.[17][18][19][20] Several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the Media Institute of Southern Africa, condemned the kidnapping.[20][21] Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change, accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of being behind the attack.[11][17] Government officials asserted that reports of abduction were staged[22][23] in order to harm Zimbabwe's reputation internationally.[24][25]

Kureya has been repeatedly targeted online due to her weight,[26] though she says she is proud of her body regardless of other's comments.[27]

Awards

In 2017, Kureya became the first woman nominated for the National Arts Merit Awards, in the category of "Outstanding Comedian".[8][9][28] She was nominated again in 2018.[29] She and Chideu together won the 2016 People’s Choice Award at the Zimbabwe Women Awards.[4][30] Kureya was given the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award by the Southern Africa Human Rights Defender Network in 2019.[26][31]

References

  1. 1 2 Burke, Jason (2019-08-23). "Zimbabwean comedian goes into hiding after abduction and beating". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  2. 1 2 Sande, Naledi (2017-01-08). "Samantha Kureya illuminates comedy sector". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  3. 1 2 Antonio, Winstone (2018-07-28). "It has been a tough journey: Gonyeti". NewsDay. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  4. 1 2 Chaya, Vasco (2017-10-08). "A tale of two 'Gonyets'". Daily News. Retrieved 2026-04-22 – via Radio Nehanda.
  5. ↑ Muromo, Lorraine (2016-09-13). "Gonyeti: The big time beckons". NewsDay. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  6. ↑ Mbara, Vongai (2017-06-06). "Celebrating one year with Gonyeti". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  7. ↑ Allison, Simon (2019-12-04). ""You are too young to mock the government": Zimbabwean comedian relives her abduction". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  8. 1 2 Ndlovu, Bongani (2017-02-07). "Gonyeti revels in Nama nomination". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  9. 1 2 Mazvarirwofa, Kudzai (2017-09-10). "In Zimbabwe, Female Comedians are Gaining Popularity in a Male-Dominated Field". Global Press Journal. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  10. ↑ Moyo, Andrew (2017-02-18). "Drama Queens on a roll". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  11. 1 2 3 "Zimbabwean comedian Gonyeti 'abducted and beaten' in Harare". BBC. 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  12. ↑ Chida, Precious (2019-09-17). "Defiant Gonyeti strikes again". NewsDay. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  13. ↑ "Comedy Skit Lands Zimbabwe Actresses Gonyeti, Maggie in Hot Water". allAfrica.com. 2019-02-27. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  14. ↑ Nyahasha, Tinashe (2019-02-26). "Online Content Creator Gonyeti Arrested By CID Detectives Over Video(s) On Social Media". Techzim.
  15. 1 2 "Bustop TV comedian Gonyeti abducted". Nehanda Radio. 2019-08-21. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  16. ↑ Karombo, Tony (2019-02-26). "Comedian Gonyeti held, US warns of 'damage to Zimbabwe's reputation'". Zimbabwe News Now. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  17. 1 2 Samanga, Rufaro (2019-08-22). "Zimbabwean Comedian Gonyeti was Allegedly Abducted and Beaten". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  18. ↑ Mutsaka, Farai (2019-08-23). "Zimbabwe comedian is latest in torture of government critics". AP News. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  19. ↑ "Zimbabwean satirist says she was abducted, beaten for 'mocking govt'". Jacaranda FM. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  20. 1 2 Oppenheim, Maya (2019-08-23). "Zimbabwe satirist abducted, stripped and forced to drink sewage amid crackdown on opposition". The Independent. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  21. ↑ "Statement on abduction of Bustop TV comedian". MISA Zimbabwe. 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  22. ↑ Dziva, Farai (2019-08-22). "Mutodi Claims Gonyeti Stage- Managed Own Abduction". ZimEye. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  23. ↑ Shoko, Advent (2022-08-19). "Govt Minister Claims Gonyeti Was Not Abducted". Pindula.
  24. ↑ "Chamisa's CCC chokes on abduction lies?". Bulawayo24 News. 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  25. ↑ Maphosa, Victor (2019-08-27). "People speak against 'fake' abductions". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  26. 1 2 "Trolls Target Gonyeti, Body Shame Her". ZimEye. 2019-12-01. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  27. ↑ Masakadza, Blessing (2018-11-10). "I'm proud of my body: Gonyeti". DailyNews. Retrieved 2026-04-23 – via Nehanda Radio.
  28. ↑ "Gonyeti eyes first female NAMA comedy gong". NewZimbabwe.com. 2017-02-07. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  29. ↑ Källstig, Amanda (2021-05-18). "How Trailblazing Women Comedians Are Disrupting the Patriarchy in Zimbabwe". Global Citizen. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  30. ↑ Ndou, Delta Milayo (2017-07-12). "Female comedians take Facebook by storm". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  31. ↑ 2019 Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Summit (PDF) (Report). Johannesburg, South Africa: AfricanDefenders. 30 November 2019.
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