Zimbabwe: Information Minister launches new album

From the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/
and African Music Group:
http://www.africanmusicgroup.com/

Zimbabwe's Information Minister Jonathan Moyo is set to
launch a music album to coincide with Heroes Day
celebrations on 13 and 14 August.

The theme of the 18-track Compact Disc reportedly titled
Third Chimurenga (Third Revolution) is believed to be based on the country's controversial land reform programme.

'My fear is it is cheap propaganda and we are forced to play it on the radio' State radio announcer.

It is understood Mr Moyo has taken old revolutionary songs by former liberation fighters and re-vamped them with new lyrics to suit today's political climate.

Mr Moyo was once the most well known critic of president Robert Mugabe's embattled government. Now he is its chief propagandist.

According to the state-controlled Herald newspaper, All
Proud Zimbabweans, a track composed by Mr Moyo himself, aims to get citizens to be proud of their national identity.

Mapfumo's song says the country has become a rag

'I am an accomplished composer and could live on music. I can play guitar and have always owned the same guitar since 1986,' the newspaper quotes him as saying.

Fusing soul, raga and R&B, some of the songs are tipped by the state media to top Zimbabwe's musical charts.

In politically volatile Zimbabwe where protest music
currently tops the charts, it is not surprising that the
information minister has decided to counter them.

Popular Zimbabwean artists, Oliver Mutukudzi and Thomas Mapfumo have recently penned songs critical of President Mugabe's government.

Mutukudzi's song is seen as criticising President Mugabe

In the current most popular tune by Mutukudzi titled Bvuma, or Tolerance, the musician talks about the need to face reality when he is over the hill and take a rest.

It has been construed as telling 77-year-old Mr Mugabe to
leave office as he can no longer perform as well as he used to. This is a favourite among opposition supporters.

Mapfumo has composed a song called Mamvemve in which he says the independent country which people so cried for is now a rag

These have hit raw nerves in top ruling party circles.

Zimbabweans are already talking about the CD. A businessman said: 'It's his right to become a musician, but doing it for propaganda purposes is wrong.'

'My fear is the album will be cheap propaganda that we are all forced to play on the radio,' said a radio announcer
with the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).

But for one journalist, whatever message is in the album, it is bound to fail.

'The battle for the hearts and minds of a besieged people
in a scarcity economy cannot be won through acres and acres of newsprint or hours and hours of music,'' he said.

The album was recorded in Zimbabwe with technical assistance from South Africa.

• article submitted by: WOMEX