Hopeful Zhakata returns to recording studio .. after four-year absence

I like his voice and lyrical expression. His words make a great deal of sense. He knows what is happening in our lives and he expresses the difficulties facing Zimbabweans. He is the voice of the voiceless – Taurai Makoni, fan

In Zimbabwe we cannot talk of music without including his name. Zhakatas music defines the true essence of our day-to-day struggles faced by ordinary Zimbabweans. This is one of the main reasons why he dominated the airwaves for years in the mid 1990s – Kenneth Matimaire, music journalist and columnist

Many customers buy his old and new music. The volume of sales makes it clear that he is one of the best musicians in Zimbabwe. I feel sorry for him because the ZBC has banned some of his songs. – Joseph Alfas, popular music vendor

HARARE – One of Zimbabwes top musicians, Leonard Zhakata, is about to release a new album with the hope that the unity government might allow his records to be played on the national airwaves.

He hasnt released an album since Tine Vimbo (There is Hope) was banned from the airwaves in 2006.

We have already done some recordings. This year we will be releasing a new album and I hope this time ZBC radio and television will play my songs, said Zhakata in a recent interview.

The last decade has been my worst in as far as my artistic career is concerned,” he added, giving his personal account of how being blacklisted by ZBC has affected him.

I would like to reiterate that I am not a politically oriented musician, I do not support any political party and as such do not sing for any politician. When I write songs, I look at life. I see pain, suffering, wars, corruption and human rights abuse, so I sing about them, he explained.

I sing about my surroundings and it is my hope that my music will create debate among Zimbabweans. As a musician I have a duty to serve the people, to sing about what I see around me, to sing about one mans injustices to another, to rebuke those who manipulate others by virtue of their powerful positions, said the gifted Zhakata.

People are free to interpret my songs in any way. It is unfortunate that, given the current political, social and economic problems affecting the country, every song I have released has been viewed to suit a particular existing condition. If I sing about holding on to power, people think I am singing about President Mugabe. But there are many people holding on to power in companies and organisations etc. If I sing about change, people think I want the ruling party to be replaced, lamented Zhakata.

The really sad thing is that our sole broadcaster, the state-controlled ZBH has also fallen into this mischief. The station has misinterpreted several of my songs and classified them as politically incorrect. I have several music videos, which I have prepared and given to ZBH, but they have never been screened. In making follow-ups, I have received conflicting statements as to why they are not being played, explained Zhakata.

The Zimbabwean ******* tried on several occasions to get comments from Zanu (PF) to explain why Zhakatas music was banned, and was eventually referred to ZBH. A senior Radio Zimbabwe presenter said staff at ZBC was instructed not to play any of Zhakatas post-2000 albums as they were viewed to be highly political.

Zhakata is a very gifted composer. So his lyrics are hard-hitting and depict the true political and social scenario. I rate him as the best composer in this country. So the unfortunate problem is that our bosses feel threatened and exposed politically by the truth of the messages revealed in his songs, he said.

Zhakatas banning record

2000 Troubles with the state-controlled media began in 2000 when ZBCs radio stations banned some of his songs including a song Bhora Rembabvu (Stiff Competition) from ZORA 2000 album, which they thought meant Mugabes rule was being compromised and was facing stiff competition from Morgan Tsvangirai of the popular MDC. In the song Zhakata reminds a person in higher position that there is also someone who wants that position and he should brace for stiff competition, as it was like a cup final.

2001 Zhakata released the album Mubikira (Catalyst) and again some of the songs on the album were banned. In the song called Sakunatsa (The Good Samaritan), he sang of a country that does not have a fair and balanced judiciary system.

2003 the album Hodho (The Toy Gun) was completely banned from the airwaves, as Zanu (PF) described it politically poisonous. Tracks from the album include Warrior, where he sings of a soldier who is forced to go to a war with a toy gun and fight the enemy who has machine guns, bombs and bazookas. In short Zhakata was saying that there was an uneven platform for ones expression of political or social views.

2005 Udza Vamwe (Spread The Message). Whole album banned as some songs focused on children being militarized and taught to preach messages of hate.

2006 Tine Vimbo (There Is Hope). The title track was banned from the airwaves as the messages portrayed in some of the songs were deemed not fit for public political consumption. In the song Zhakata was giving hope to the desperate Zimbabweans saying that they had endured a long suffering and they should now hope of a better future.