CHIMOIO, MOZAMBIQUE - Zimbabwean music, especially museve music, has been in an increasing demand in Mozambique, but the artists are being severely disadvantaged by piracy. According to a Mozambican music vendor, Vasco Manuere, Zimbabwe’s music is in great demand.
“However, the CDs and cassettes are not original and the pictures on the sleeve designs are photocopied. Many Zimbabwean musicians are losing out, but on various Mozambique radio stations, Zimbabwe’s sungura music is popular. A lot of listeners have completely fallen in love with Zimbabwe’s sungura music,” said Manuere.
The situation is being compounded by people in Zimbabwe who are supplying the Mozambiquans with pirated CDs in huge quantities that are then being smuggled across the border.
“Zimbabwe’s sungura music is aplenty on the music shelves in some shops and flea markets. But, it is unfortunate that the music is not original at all,” he said.
Alick Macheso, Leonard Dembo, Nicholas “Madzibaba” Zacharia, Leonard “Karikoga” Zhakata, Hosiah Chipanga, Tongai Moyo, Ngwenya Brothers, John Chibadura, Taruvinga “Sugar Sugar” Manjokota and Leeroy “Kamusena” Lunga are
some of the musicians whose music is being played on Mozambiquan radio stations.
Maria Jangano a presenter at Radio Mozambique said: “Macheso commands a high following in this country, but it is unfortunate that his music is heavily pirated.”
ZORA music maestro, Leonard Zhakata, has been calling for the Zimbabwean and Mozambiquan governments to work together to curb piracy.
“Music piracy has become a cancer. There is need to establish a regional piracy body so that we can curb this problem. I think governments from the region should now work together to address this thing. There should be deterrent measures against the perpetrators of piracy. Otherwise many musicians are now reluctant to release more new materials,” said Zhakata.
Macheso said: “It is cowardice. These are the people (music pirates) who are reaping where they did not sow. It is painful that as musicians we take a lot of time, effort and brains to come up with songs, but they just burn our music and sell it cheaply to the consumers prejudicing us. We think that something must be done as a matter of urgency to help us.”
Many musicians in Zimbabwe have registered grave concerns over piracy as they are losing a lot of revenue through sophisticated local and international syndicates.
Post published in: Music