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. Samm Farai Monro, aka Comrade Fatso, points out how artists in the nation joke: You have freedom of expression but not freedom after expression. AMANDA KÄLLSTIG,…