CPS

The political music of Zimbabwe

Author: Jennifer Byrne
Date: March 2003

Zimbabwe has been in the media on a regular basis over the last couple of years, for all the wrong reasons. Gone is the image of Zimbabwe as the epitome of an ex-colonial state in control, a land of bountiful mineral wealth, and a thriving tourist destination. The media portrays, rightly, a country wherein those who dare to speak out against the Mugabe regime end up in prison, tortured, or worse, disappear overnight. To what degree then is the current political climate infiltrating the thriving arts scene that has always been integral to Zimbabwe’s social life? Have the musicians of the nation that brought us Chimurenga music, the music of people power and folk opposition, stayed silent in the face of their current struggle?

Thomas Mapfumo, one of Africa’s greatest recording artists, and the most critical of the Mugabe government, currently lives in exile in America. Mapfumo has been outspoken since the days of Rhodesia when he was imprisoned for his satirical anti-colonial lyrics. He continued to berate the authorities in post-colonial Zimbabwe, where he had his first brush with the authorities after his song, "Corruption", of the late 1980s, was banned. In 2000, Mapfumo mirrored the disillusionment of the people with independence in the album that appeared to be the final straw in his tense relationship with the authorities. The majority of the songs on "Chimurenga Explosion" have lyrics that are hard hitting, that tell of the disillusionment and the despair of the people. "Mamvemve" talks about how the country has been trashed, while the title of the track "Disaster", in reference to the country itself, is self-explanatory. It was only a matter of time before the censorship board stepped in and banned the record. So too with Mapfumo’s penultimate release, "Chimurenga Rebel", which is available to buy in Zimbabwe but never played on radio. This album is unquestionably the most explicit criticism he has ever levelled against the Mugabe regime. "Marima Nzara", which means you have reaped poverty, is a scathing attack on the government’s land redistribution policy. According to the song " you have lost the plot by expelling the farmers who provide the food…you are inviting poverty". "Zimbabwe" encourages that the rule of law be followed, that the people should be respected, free, and not be forced into what they do not want. "Huni" gives a strong warning that if you push people around they will inevitably revolt against you. "Toyi Toyi", Mapfumo’s new album, continues in the same vein as its predecessors. It remains to be seen whether it will suffer the same fate at the hand of the censorship powers.

Mapfumo is still respected and revered by Chimurenga music fans at home and abroad. He has recently been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Zimbabwe for his contribution to music. He is unrelenting in his determination to play in Zimbabwe on an annual basis, and also plays for UK-based fans regularly. But it is painfully noticeable in and around Harare that his music is not given the precedence it once commanded. The safer option for public establishments these days is Oliver Mtukudzi.

Tuku as he is known, has been on the scene almost as long as Mapfumo, and over the past couple of years has made considerable inroads into the international world music market. It is really only since Mapfumo’s departure that Mtukudzi has become the main seller on the home circuit. During the late 1970s some people accused him of being a collaborator of the Rhodesian government, although there was never any concrete proof to this effect. To some, there was proof enough in the fact that he did not sing anything that brought him under the direct gaze of the government. In independent Zimbabwe, Mtukudzi seemed to have kept himself firmly apart from Zimbabwe’s murky political waters, that is, until the release of his album "Bvuma" (literally translated, ‘accept’). The title track basically says that you should accept you are old. This was interpreted as a reference to Mugabe’s desperate attempts to hold on to power, despite his age, and this inference brought it great popularity. Mtukudzi has never given much away in his interviews as to his political views, and, according to some fans, he has issues to clarify. They want him to declare his position publicly in Zimbabwe.

Easier said than done. The harsh reality of this for someone like Mtukudzi is that there is a clutch of musicians who are being boycotted because of their political leanings. Tambaoga, an emerging sungura musician, has had bittersweet rewards for being vocal in his support of the government. While on the one hand he received a generous monetary gift from the government for his efforts, he was also brutally attacked by fans (MDC, the acronym of the opposition party, was carved onto his back), and his shows continue to be boycotted. Andy Brown and Man SoulJah both lent their artistic support to the government and received a personal recording studio and a powerful position in the state-owned 3 FM respectively. Both of their careers as performing artists are over, temporarily at least. Bryn Taurai Mteki, or Taurai as he is better known, a Chimurenga musician who was in the process of reaping the benefits of imitating the absent and much-missed Mapfumo, made an error in inviting a government minister to sing the pro-government song, "Nora" on his album "Mwana Wevhu". In the sleeve notes which were written by Mugabe’s "Propaganda Minister", officially the Minister of Information, Jonathan Moyo, there are profuse thanks to "the Office of the President… for facilitating the recording of this music". Taurai too received a brand new studio. Even sungura veteran Simon Chimbetu finds himself on the music fans’ hit list because of his leanings towards the establishment. Brown, Taurai and Chimbetu have all released records that are under the 3rd Chimurenga Series, another cog in the wheel of the propaganda machine that supports the land grab policy of Zimbabwe. In recent weeks, Chiwoniso Maraire, (ex-wife of Brown) has been involved with recording Zanu PF-related radio commercials. This seems like a far cry from her comments at a press conference in Harare in early August where she stated, "the media should stop associating artists with any political party, as music has nothing to do with politics. It is sad that some fans have shunned their favourite artists because they are linked to a certain party". Maraire has caused irreversible damage to a thriving career and a bright future.

Zimbabwe’s main record franchise, Spinalong, publishes a weekly Top Selling Hits listing. A glance through the selection of recording artists who feature in any one of these charts highlights the staggering extent to which politics and music have become intertwined. Let it never be said that Zimbabwean musicians and fans alike are not passionate. When everything else they hold dear is gradually falling down around them, they turn to music, as much for hope as for something to berate. There is no such thing as art for art’s sake here: there is far too much at stake.

Updated: 3 July, 2007 | Site editor | Legal