Govt tries to silence musicians

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freedom of expression are award-winning musician Hosea Chipanga and South
African DJ Cleopas Monyepeao.

Chipanga was set to perform at the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
function at Gwanzura stadium on May Day but was forced to cancel his
performance after receiving anonymous threats.

Chipanga told ZCTU general secretary, Wellington Chibebe, that he was
disappointed by the politics of Zimbabwe.

“Chipanga has been receiving threats through his mobile phone and they had
even gone physically to his place to warm him to refrain from performing at
our functions. This dictatorship by Mugabe needs to be condemned in
strongest terms. Chipanga is an artist and artists speak for the voiceless.
Mugabe is restricting Chipanga from sending the message to the people who
desperately need it,” said Chibebe, adding that the ZCTU would not sue
Chipanga for breach of contract.

Speaking from Harare, Chipanga said “I was supposed to perform at Gwanzura
but I won’t be due to the threats I have been receiving through my phone.
I’m not quite sure who is phoning me but I have been phoned by three
different voices warning me not to perform or else loose my life.

“This is not the first time I have performed at ZCTU organized functions, so
I wonder why these threats are coming now. Though I know I would be safe
during the performance, my life would at stake afterwards. This is why I
have decided to withdraw.”

Chipanga, who sings in Shona and whose music is laden with social and
political messages, has also in the past brushed shoulders with the CIO,
Zimbabwe’s dreaded spy Central Intelligence Organisation after playing songs
at a state-funded public gala last August suggesting that President Robert
Mugabe would only relinquish power through death.

Chibebe said the ZCTU would go ahead as planned, but emphasised it was not
celebrating May Day, but commemorating it.

“We are not in a mood to celebrate. Workers are under siege, and we need to
organise, unite and fight on. With workers’ standards of living continuing
to slide there is really nothing to celebrate,” he said.

Meanwhile DJ Cleo has been banned from performing in Zimbabwe because he “is
said to have uttered bad things” during his visit to the country last year.
Cleo was scheduled to perform in Bulawayo at the weekend during the kwaito
night of the Umthwakazi Arts Festival. National Arts Council of Zimbabwe
(NACZ) wrote to immigration officials asking them to withdraw clearance for
the kwaito star to perform until these allegations had been investigated. –
– Magugu Nyathi