By Moses Ziyambi

…from waste paper to saw dust and wood chips, nothing goes to waste in teacher’s unique artistic endeavour

Rwanda-based Zimbabwean Art teacher Trust Mutekwa is taking his wide collection of fine art to the Cheuka Harare Art Fair, scheduled for November 17 – 19, 2026.

Prominently known in his circles as Ticha Muzavazi, Mutekwa spoke to EnviroPress about his intention to exhibit his unique paintings at the prestigious art fair.

“I am working on visiting home to participate in an important cultural event on the calendar. I hold Cheuka Harare Art Fair in high regard, as it is one of the very few impactful national shows available for fine art in Zimbabwe,” said Mutekwa.

An artist and art teacher at Nyamata Teachers’ Training College outside Kigali, Mutekwa is turning what many people regard as rubbish into captivating works of art. His extensive collection accepted for exhibition at Cheuka consists primarily of textured surfaces created from paper waste, wood chips, sawdust pastes, mosaics, and collages made from plywood flakes.

“I grew up in Zimbabwe and walked the streets of the Sunshine City. Now I work in Rwanda and walk the streets of Kigali. I have a lot to appreciate from Harare and Kigali as I come with recycling and environmental stewardship.”

Being a scholar of Climate Resilience and Education for Sustainable Development, Mutekwa’s approach is also informed by his academic interest in sustainability, having undertaken studies with Lund University in Sweden, and Kenyatta University in Kenya.

Mutekwa is the country’s Inclusive and Special Needs teacher of note who migrated to Rwanda in 2022 under a government-to-government education exchange programme between Zimbabwe and Rwanda. He unveiled his artistic talents and got an opportunity to take up the role of Art Tutor at the teacher training institution.

By the end of 2024, Mutekwa had developed a vibrant portfolio of artworks, culminating in his first solo exhibition at the Cultural Centre of France in Kigali in May 2025.