June 27, 2025
By Showbiz Reporter | WASHINGTON, D.C. / TORONTO — Zimbabwean music sensation Jah Prayzah has seen his North American tour unravel after fierce resistance from activists in the diaspora, who accuse the artist of being a beneficiary of stolen public funds and an apologist for Zimbabwe’s ruling elite.
Concerts scheduled for Washington, D.C. on July 4 and Dallas on July 5 have now been abruptly cancelled. Meanwhile, his upcoming Toronto show on July 12 faces mounting pressure from protesters demanding a full ban on his appearance in Canada.
At the heart of the backlash are Jah Prayzah’s well-documented ties to Wicknell Chivayo, a convicted fraudster and controversial ZANU-PF-aligned businessman. Chivayo, who is currently under scrutiny for siphoning millions from public coffers, has publicly gifted the musician luxury vehicles—provoking outrage from Zimbabweans who view such gestures as emblematic of elite impunity in the face of national suffering.
U.S. Activists Force Government’s Hand
In the United States, Zimbabwean activists launched a targeted campaign involving formal petitions, letters to the State Department, and submissions to the Zimbabwean Embassy in Washington, demanding action against the tour. Several organizers took to social media urging ticket holders to boycott the shows, accusing Jah Prayzah of “entertaining on the blood of the people.”
The situation quickly escalated, with some community members controversially threatening to report undocumented Zimbabweans who supported the concerts to immigration authorities.
“This is not about music,” one protester told a local outlet. “It’s about dignity. You can’t entertain the diaspora while aligning with a regime that brutalizes its own people.”
Canadian Show Faces Growing Resistance
In Canada, the backlash has intensified. Activists have submitted a detailed dossier to the federal government and immigration authorities, calling for a travel ban on Jah Prayzah. The dossier outlines the artist’s ties to state-aligned figures accused of looting national funds and suppressing dissent in Zimbabwe.
A well-placed Zimbabwean source, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals, told this writer:
“We won’t let corrupt regime puppets perform on our soil. Chivayo’s stolen wealth should rebuild hospitals, not buy cars for celebrities.”
The protests have sparked broader debates within the diaspora over complicity, accountability, and the role of culture in political laundering.
Official Explanation Disputed
While Jah Prayzah issued a public statement citing a technical visa issue for the U.S. cancellations, critics claim the diplomatic blockade was the direct result of activist pressure. He has maintained that the U.S. Consulate “tried to assist in every possible way,” but conceded the shows could not proceed.
His statement avoided reference to the protests but emphasized a desire to fulfill the cancelled tour dates “in the very near future.” However, with resistance escalating in both the U.S. and Canada, that possibility appears increasingly remote.
What’s Next?
Jah Prayzah’s Canadian performances—particularly in Toronto on July 12—remain under threat, with protest organizers vowing to stage mass demonstrations should the event proceed.
The incident is now a watershed moment for Zimbabwean diaspora communities, who are signaling a new phase of transnational resistance—not just against the regime at home, but also its cultural ambassadors abroad.
This is a developing story.