By Fortune Tazvida
How many Zimbabweans know what type of music ruthless dictator Robert Mugabe listens to? When he is not organizing his goons to target perceived opposition supporters, what does he nourish his ears with?
Well, according to a recent UK Telegraph article Mugabe allegedly complained when he heard Bob Marley would perform at Zimbabwe’s independence festivities in 1980.
Mugabe whose violent thugs have kept him in power told aides at the time he would have preferred “the perennially wholesome Cliff Richard”, to perform at Rufaro Stadium instead.
Marley’s performance went ahead nonetheless, performing to a crowd of 100,000 that included Prince Charles.
Mugabe’s wife Grace Mugabe meanwhile is surprisingly hooked onto Gospel music. Several years ago she admitted her favourite singers were Mercy Mutsvene and Fungisai Zvakavapano Mashavave.
At private family functions the First Lady is known to occasionally hire the two singers to perform. She also allegedly wrote to the Harare City Council instructing them to give the two singers residential stands.
Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa meanwhile listens to Leonard Zhakata, Alick Macheso, Charles and Olivia Charamba and Oliver Mtukudzi. On the international scene he indulges in a bit of R&B with Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Rihanna and Akon.
