SIMON Chopper Chimbetu, Cde Chinx Chingaira and Andy Muzukuru Brown are some of the fallen who became more popular in death than when they were alive.
JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA
At the height of the chaotic and often violent land invasions dubbed the Third Chimurenga or Hondo Yeminda associated with Zimbabwe’s fast-track land reform programme, around 2000, -these artistes were at the forefront of speaking for the landless masses.
And that was a worthy cause as artistes used their influence to highlight colonial land ownership injustices. There were several jingles by these artistes in support of the landless and the message was loud and clear.
Sadly, the same artistes did not speak out when Robert Mugabe’s regime unleashed a reign of terror in June 2008 against opposition members nor did they record jingles against the wanton murder and displacement of villagers.
Sadder still, the same artistes kept silent when, on 1 August 2018, opposition members were killed in cold blood by armed forces in the streets of Harare demanding the release of Presidential election results.
If musicians are supposed to mirror what happens in society, what sort of mirror image are they giving to the society when they choose to see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil?
That said, Zimbabwean musicians seem to only focus on themselves. They go to bed with oppressors who they are supposed to speak against.
Why is it that Zimbabwean musicians find it easy to sing the praises of ruling elites, but fail to speak out against injustice?
It is a shame that artistes only realise that they were used when they are spent forces.
Chopper could hardly pull crowds at his live shows, having openly supported the Mugabe regime until his death.
Cde Chinx would have died destitute were it not for former first lady Grace Mugabe who built him a decent home in Harare’s Mabelreign suburb.
It was a pity that Cde Chinx, a musician with a rich discography, could only attract a handful of fans at his live shows except when he performed at national galas.
At the time of his death, Brown’s fame and fortune were on the wane.
He could not complete building a house at his rural home in Mberengwa, despite all the political jingles he performed.
Another case in point was Tambaoga whose real name is Last Chiangwa.
The talented singer’s claim to fame was during the Hondo Yeminda era. Tambaoga did jingles which were quite popular on television as well as radio stations but he sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver.
Tambaoga never had an illustrious music career because fans saw him as a Zanu PF apologist.
Even today, Tambaoga is still struggling to revive his career. While he did well in supporting the land reform programme, he failed to speak out against human rights abuses, corruption and bad governance in Zimbabwe.
Coming to the young generation, we had Jah Prayzah whose entry into music was hinged to the Second Republic.
His track Mdhara Achauya, which played out during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ascendency to power, almost killed his music career in an instant.
There was resistance to the song, especially around 1 August 2018 after the infamous shooting of civilians by soldiers.
Following that incident, Jah Prayzah dropped the military fatigues during live shows and also stopped performing Mdhara Achauya on stage.
Soul Jah Love was perhaps the only artiste whose career was not affected by his support for Zanu PF and he was rewarded for that after he was declared a liberation hero and subsequently buried at the Harare provincial heroes’ acre.
He of course was hugely popular among youths for his songs that glorified drugs and substance abuse. And that was his rallying point.
Soul Jah Love would often flip flop. At one time he was singing the praises of Robert Mugabe in the song Happy Birthday Baba Mugabe, while at another moment, in Ndiri Zvinhu, a 2017 release, he hit back at the Zanu PF youth leadership for belittling him at a star rally held in Mutare.
At that rally, Soul Jah Love made his grand entrance, causing pandemonium in the stadium and disturbing the proceedings.
Zanu PF youth league commissar Innocent Hamandishe, who was the emcee at the rally, quickly called Soul Jah Love to order, telling him that: “hachisi chinhu mukadaro haaridze pano” (Soul Jah Love is nothing, if you continue doing that he won’t perform).
And then there is Suluman Chimbetu who is slowly treading in his father’s ruinous path. This past week, Suluman has been openly showing his support for Zanu PF.
He posed for pictures at party headquarters wearing Zanu PF regalia alongside Mike Chimombe, a staunch youth member.
This came shortly after he was photographed in the company of the opposition MDC Alliance’s Harare West MP Joana Mamombe.
It appears Suluman was taken to task for associating with opposition members.
In a related matter, the Zimbabwe Revolutionary and Patriotic Youth Network (ZIRAPAYON) wrote to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) and Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi on 9 June 2021 expressing reservations over the lyrics in Sulu’s song titled Chirwere featuring one chanter popularly known as Hwindi President and Uncle Sam.
In the letter, the youths demanded that Sulu explain what he meant in the song.
“Zimbabwe Revolutionary and Patriotic Youth Network (ZIRAPYON) Harare Province was not pleased by a song released by the ambassador of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Ass-Comm Suluman Chimbetu featuring one chanter popularly known as ‘Hwindi President’.
“We seek clarity on what he meant. We are sure that your esteemed office would also want to understand what the goodwill ambassador implied. We join hands with you and all patriotic Zimbabweans in demanding for an explanation.
“A proactive response will be highly appreciated,” reads the letter.
The song, a 2020 release, urges people to admit that they wronged ancestors by not observing the sacred month of November in accordance with Zimbabwean culture.
It is considered taboo in the Shona custom to engage in cultural ceremonies in the month of November.
Mnangagwa rose to power in November 2017 after the ouster of then president Mugabe in a military coup.
While the ZIRAPYON had reservations about the song, it was well within Suluman’s poetic licence to express himself.
Apparently, Sulu has faced a barrage of criticism from mainly Zanu PF supporters who took him to task over his association with the legislator Mamombe and, lately, Zimbabwe National Students’ Union president Takudzwa Ngadziore.
He was the subject of political scrutiny after he was captured on camera welcoming Ngadziore from remand prison and is on record as expressing solidarity with the student leader.
This upset some Zanu PF members who wanted him to be stripped of his ZPCS ambassadorial role.
The point is Suluman and other musicians should never pander to the whims of politicians.
If Suluman strongly believed that Zimbabwe as a nation erred in inaugurating Mnangagwa as president in the sacred month of November, then it was his right to say so.
But Suluman should also stand up to the system in the same way Thomas Mapfumo did when he sang against corruption, bad governance and human rights abuses.
Artistes should always mirror the society as opposed to being praise singers.
The world over, free artistic expression is a clear sign of democracy. As the Black Lives Matter Movement reminded us, when musicians see human rights abuses they should stand up.
It was well and good to see South African artistes, the likes of AKA and Casper Nyovest, adding their voices to the Zimbwean Lives Matter movement but, sadly, our own artistes were a big letdown. Superstar Oliver Mtukudzi was one artiste who used music to air his views without being partisan.
Mtukudzi’s messages were subtle, deep and did not carry explicit political messages, but he made it easy to read between the lines.
His quest to stay above the political fray has always made him a darling across age groups, races and the social divide because he wanted to remain an artiste.
And those that he criticised loved him for that and they did so without feeling outraged by his stance.
The song Bvuma talked about ageing gracefully although at the time most people linked it to former president Mugabe who at was over 70 years old and still stubborn clinging on to power.
