Stephen Chifunyise dies aged 70

Playwright and culturalist Stephen Chifunyise died on Monday, friends said.

He was 70.

The former arts and culture ministry's permanent secretary founded Chipawo in the 1980s to identify and nature young talent in the arts industry.

Black Panther star Danai Gurira, the late singer Chiwoniso Maraire and Chipo Chung are some of the young talents who horned their skills at Chipawo.

Born in Shurugwi in 1948, Chifunyise attended university in Zambia and the United States where he graduated with a Masters Degree in Theatre Arts.

Kgosi Nyathi, the director of the Bulawayo Art Gallery said: "He was a cultural scholar whose creative wisdom shall be dearly missed. The arts fraternity is poorer."

Chifunyise was an adviser to the Zambian government after returning from the United States before returning home where he founded Chipawo.

He developed several plays that he also took on international tours.

He would work in various positions for the government until 2000.

He married Phillipa Chidzurira in Jerera, Zaka, in 2016.