Mapfumo slams expensive cars for musicians while hospitals are neglected

Exiled Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo has criticized businessman Wicknell Chivayo and the Zanu PF government for donating expensive cars to musicians while ignoring the poor state of hospitals and the poverty that most Zimbabweans face.

Chivayo has been giving away high-end cars to Zanu-PF affiliated musicians, including Sandra Ndebele, Jah Prayzah, DJ Fantan, Seh Calaz and Mathias Mhere. Most recently, he gave a Mercedes Benz worth US$140,000 to Sungura music legend Aleck Masheso.

In an interview with Lance Guma on Nehanda TV, Mapfumo, a fierce critic of the Zanu-PF government, believes that the musicians are accepting these cars out of financial hardship.

“We’re in this situation because of poverty,” he said. “They are accepting all these beautiful cars because they can’t afford them. I saw Jah Prayzah thanking him (Wicknell Chivayo) after receiving a car that he had never seen.”

However, Mapfumo questioned the logic behind giving away luxury cars when the majority of Zimbabweans are struggling financially.

“You’re giving cars to musicians, yet they already have their own cars, which they bought through their own means,” he said.

“Why can’t you just channel that money to hospitals? Our roads are in a bad state, and people are living in poverty. Our fight is not for certain individuals to get a good living but for everyone to come out of poverty.”

He dismissed government spokesperson Nick Mangwana’s recent statements that the United States based Zimbabwean musician was free to come to Zimbabwe.

“No one has a right to tell me that I’m free to come to Zimbabwe. It’s my country. I can come anytime I want. Zimbabwe is my home. That’s where I was born. I’m a man of the people. I don’t belong to any political party.

“I’m now planning my last shows, which I will perform here in America, England, and across Africa. After that, I will come to Zimbabwe to perform my final show before I retire. I want to help young musicians who want to learn from me,” Mapfumo told Nehanda TV.