The following is a side transcript of the Chimurenga Music King Thomas Mapfumo‘s audio on the 3rd May, that infuriated the ruling ZANU PF causing party members Dr Masimba Mavaza and the businessman, Wicknell Chivayo to descend on him. Mapfumo addressed Zimbabweans as follows-
I want the cars that were seized—five cars that the government of Zimbabwe took. I had purchased these cars from South Africa, bought from merchants, and I paid my money. However, after the cars were seized, they were stored at Tomlinson depot. Consequently, my family and I faced harassment by the police over these cars, which we had paid for. Eventually, we relocated to the United States, where a US citizen helped us settle.
MAPFUMO CONFRONTINTG WICKNELL AND MAVAZA ON WED 9AM https://t.co/i8vXyZHwXf
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 9, 2024
After settling in, a friend of mine, Simba Chiromo, was contacted by the police to collect my vehicles since the police cleared all and any fault. Chiromo found all five vehicles parked at the depot and planned to collect them the following week. Unfortunately, when he returned, the vehicles were gone. It was later revealed that a police officer had sold my cars who was was quickly transferred to Plumtree.
I am not interested in what Wicknell Chivayo is saying; I just want my five cars back. I do not want anyone else’s vehicles.
Some people claim that I lived in Phillip Chiyangwa’s garage. Have you ever seen me there? Has that man ever seen me?
I once owned a football club, Sporting Lions.
Oliver Mtukudzi, George Shaya, and I were each given a piece of land in the capital city. However, mine was confiscated because I was accused of wanting to set up a studio to produce jingles mocking the government, which is untrue. This is a false accusation against me.
The government holds grudges against these people. I supported them during the war, but I realized I had supported the wrong people and started criticizing them. Therefore, don’t be surprised by my decision to live in the United States.
They forget that I was the one who ordered all the songs during the liberation struggle and that I was captured and arrested by the Ian Smith government for their cause. I am a man of the people and will always remain so. I want the people to live in their own country. I would like to see this country become progressive and successful. Can’t you see where we are right now? When I recently visited Zambia, I noticed it is now 200 years ahead of Zimbabwe. They are fulfilling the wishes of the people. Hichilema is advancing the people’s will.
When they came into power, there was money from the Ian Smith government. Where did that money go? Now they say we are printing bond notes and creating ZiGs.
I had money in my Zimbabwe bank account from my record sales, but it was depleted by inflation. Where did all that money go?
But why do you remain in your houses when you see all this chaos? You are such cowards. What makes you endure this situation for 44 years? If you don’t come out, you will continue to suffer.
You say that I should return to that country. Why should I return to a country that lacks the rule of law? Why should I return to a country that kills people who complain? If you ask Mnangagwa why he removed Robert Mugabe, he won’t be able to tell you.
They conspired to remove the president, promising to share power later. They made a secret deal.
You are not seeing it. When these people shout “Up with Zanu PF,” what they mean is “Up with hunger,” while those in power live well. Then you hear Mnangagwa complaining about sanctions, but the sanctions don’t affect him; he is living well.
You need to wake up and stop living a cowardly life. Don’t say I should return to Zimbabwe. I will stay wherever I want; a person should not be forced to live somewhere. LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO BELOW –