After making headlines with the politically controversial Kukanda nekuvhika, sungura maestro Tongayi Dhewa Moyo In track three Tsamba ndakanyora, it is evident that Dhewa is reaching out to the millions of Zimbabweans who have been forced to flee the countrys volatile political and economic situation and are living in diaspora, separated from their families and loved ones.
In an open reference to the countrys leadership, Dhewa pleads for a faster resolution of the countrys crisis so that people can return back to Zimbabwe to their families. …Vakuru venyika gadziraiwo nyika tidzoke kumusha.(leaders, sort out the country for us to return) sings Dhewa, in an unmistakable sentimental voice.
The song comes at a time when the cracks in the much-touted unity government are widening after two years of intense internal backbiting. Because of this bickering, the political environment remains unstable and economic recovery continues to falter. This has failed to attract the impatient diasporans back home.
Again Dhewa has added his voice to the growing impatience over the long-drawn-out struggle to secure a solution to the countrys political crisis, this time focusing on the plight of those in diaspora. Dhewa goes a step further to interpret the snowball effects of the political disaster, such as the crumbling of the family structure as people go out of the country in search of greener pastures.
Mukutsvaga mari misha yoparara (In the process of looking for money, families are crumbling) he sings.
While the musician has said the album Toita Basa is a dedication to his five year battle with cancer, what seems to hog the limelight is Dhewas new trend in timing the release of his albums in line with the prevailing political trends. His previous offering Muridzi Wenyaya, which featured the chart topper Kukanda nekuvhika, a song about change of things, was well timed as the countrys main political parties were engaged in talks to end a long standing political impasse which would see the then opposition MDC party getting into government with Zanu (PF).
The song was banned on the state broadcaster but endeared Dhewa with his fans who felt that the track aptly captured the then prevailing optimistic mood of political and economic salvage pinned on the MDCs entry into government to change things for the better.
In yet another song, Zimbabwe, which was released in 2002, Dhewa urges Zimbabweans to let go of their political, racial and ethnic differences and focus on national unity. The song was released during the escalation of political violence between the then opposition MDC and Zanu (PF).
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