By Dakarai Mashava
Music star Jah Prayzah has decided to remain mum on what the song Kutonga Kwaro is all about until his album launch set for the Harare International Conference Centre on October 13.
The song, which is the title track of his forthcoming album, has been a subject of controversy and intrigue ever since it was cheekily renamed “Kutonga Kwaro Garwe” by some people pushing for Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from President Robert Mugabe.
Jah Prayzah has continually insisted that the song has no political connotations but this has failed to convince some members of the G40 faction which is opposed to Mnangagwa’s ascendancy to the most powerful post in Zimbabwe.
Yesterday, Jah Prayzah’s manager Keen Mushapaidze, refused once again to shed some light on the song.
“We can’t talk about Kutonga Kwaro though because that mystery is all part of the plan,” was all Jah Prayzah’s manager was prepared to say.
Last month, Mushapaidze told this paper that they welcomed the controversy the forthcoming album has generated.
“Art is out there to inspire people to talk. What we do as artistes is interpreted in different ways by different people. It only means you are still creative if people come up with various meanings to what you give them. It should never be too obvious,” he said.
This is not the first time the Uzumba-born artiste has been sucked into Zanu PF succession politics. Last year, some Mnangagwa supporters claimed that the Uzumba-born artiste’s song Mdhara Achauya referred to Mnangagwa.
The song praises a powerful father figure — Shumba inoruma (a vicious lion). Mnangagwa is of the Shumba totem.
In an interesting twist of events, Mdhara Achauya has since been adopted by the pro-Mugabe G40 faction as the “theme song” at Mugabe’s ongoing presidential youth interface rallies currently taking place across the country. Mdhara Achauya is played when the 93-year-old leader makes his way to the podium.
Even though the G40 faction only adopted the song recently, way after Team Lacoste had latched onto it, Zanu PF youth leader Kudzanai Chipanga recently announced that Mudhara Achauya will now be solely dedicated to Mugabe.
As a result, the Lacoste faction has been forced to look for a new theme song. They have since adopted Andy Muridzo’s duet song with Jah Prayzah called Emma.
Last month, some youths, believed to be aligned to Zanu PF’s G40 faction, threatened the award-winning Jah Prayzah for allegedly composing songs meant to prop up embattled Mnangagwa.
The Children of War Veterans, in a statement posted on Facebook by one of its leaders — Munyaradzi Shoko — the youths sensationally accused the Watora Mari hit-maker of meddling in Zanu PF party factional politics.
“Jah Prayzah allow me to warn you to desist from interfering with Zanu PF party factional politics before it’s too late. It is not a secret today that you are reportedly being used to compose songs that fuel political divisions in this country,” part of the statement read.
The youths further alleged that Jah Prayzah’s songs — Mdhara Achauya and the yet-to-be-released Kutonga kwaro — were composed with the aim of promoting the Lacoste faction.
“You are reportedly targeting certain groups of individuals in the party after you released the popular Mdhara Achauya song dedicating it to your factionalist (Mnangagwa), something you publicly denied. Today, we hear you are about to release a song entitled Kutonga Kwaro. Another album intended at fanning factionalism,” said Shoko, who sensationally-claimed that Jah Prayzah was being used by the rich.
“Be warned my brother, party yawasarudza kutamba navo iyi isinjonjo. Tamba wakachenjera. Don’t be used by rich individuals to be their voices,” read part of the statement. Daily News
