Zimbabwean album goes after Mugabe

10 Nov 2017 - 14:12

Published under the Creative Commons Licence

Zimbabwean reggae musician and human rights activist Nkosilathi Emmanuel Moyo has released a 14-track album that criticises President Robert Mugabe’s leadership style as well as the ruling ZANU-PF party for destroying the livelihoods of ordinary Zimbabweans.

Nkosilathi Moyo's album challenges the country’s status quo and calls on Zimbabweans to fight for political change.

Titled Pisarema raNkosilathi, the album challenges the country’s status quo and calls on Zimbabweans to fight for political change ahead of next year’s general elections.

“My music is a tool to fight dictatorship in a non-violent way,” Moyo told NewsDay. “People have been oppressed for decades and arts, particularly music, is one way to champion people’s fight for political space.”

In the opening track, ‘Bhora Mudondo’, Moyo advocates for protest votes against Mugabe and accuses the 93-year-old leader of neglecting his struggle colleagues, particularly war veterans. Moyo sings ‘Bhora Mudondo’ from the perspective of a war veteran, accusing Mugabe of personalising the country to his own needs and unleashing his wife, Grace, on war veterans critical of his rule.

Songs such as ‘Ice Cream’ point to the current infighting in the ruling party, with which Mugabe is increasingly losing favour. On Monday, Mugabe fired his long-time ally and deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, prompting widespread condemnation.

The album has already gone viral on social media and streaming platforms, with CDs selling for $1 each.

“There are also plans to hold protest music shows in South Africa, the UK and the US,” Moyo, who courted controversy after sending Mugabe a prison uniform for his birthday last year, said.

Meanwhile, Zimbabweans are not the only ones criticising Mugabe through music. A 79-year-old Australian composer, Donald Park, earlier this year released the ‘A Plea to Robert M’ single blaming Mugabe for the socio-economic decline in the southern African country.

“I wrote ‘A Plea to Robert M’ many years ago. I have lived long enough to witness the fall of Rhodesia and watched the move from a democracy to a fake democracy, effectively a one-party rule,” Park told Music In Africa.

“I have seen Zimbabwe fall from being the Bread Basket of Africa to being simply a basket case. Each year Zimbabwe suffered from the Mugabe travesty, all of which prompted me to write a song to support and perhaps give hope to the brave and noble citizens of Zimbabwe.”