Mapfumo’s homecoming, a million-dollar olive branch and a botched Mnangagwa meeting

CHIMURENGA music icon Thomas Mapfumo’s return to Zimbabwe last week marked the end of an eight-year absence from the country.

An ardent critic of the government, Mapfumo last visited Zimbabwe in 2018 when he held his homecoming concerts.

Since then, the musician has stayed away from the country after ruffling the feathers of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, missing several family engagements, including the burial of his brother and fellow Blacks Unlimited band member Lancelot Mapfumo, amid fears for his safety.

However, Mapfumo appeared to have struck a more cordial relationship with the government, with a meeting between him and Mnangagwa having been scheduled before it was derailed by the death of controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo.

“I was pained by the death of Wicknell Chivayo. I had come here to do my work and he wanted to meet me, then we go see President Emmerson Mnangagwa, but the next day he died,” Mapfumo told NewZimbabwe.com in an interview.

Mapfumo, who earned the nickname the Lion of Zimbabwe through his hard-hitting songs that have long criticised corruption and social injustice, returned to the country after accepting a US$1 million offer from Chivayo to perform at fellow musician Jah Prayzah’s wedding and the businessman’s housewarming party in Gandami.

The decision marked a significant shift for Mapfumo, who had previously criticised Chivayo’s gifting spree, which saw several artists benefit from the businessman’s generosity, and had turned down a house offered to him by Chivayo.

His acceptance of the deal, as well as public praise from Zanu PF officials, prompted questions from observers who viewed the move as a departure from the social justice principles Mapfumo has championed throughout his career.

But Mapfumo insisted that his position had not changed and that he remained committed to ordinary Zimbabweans.

“I do not belong to any political party. I do not support anyone. I stand for the people, whether you are in ZANU PF or the opposition.

“I do not care about any political party. I am a musician. People do not consume my music because of political affiliation,” he said.

Mapfumo was a vocal critic of the late President Robert Mugabe and relocated to the United States in the early 2000s, citing political pressure and threats to his life.

The Chimurenga music star also endured harassment during Mugabe’s rule, with his cars seized by the government after authorities accused him of having stolen them.

Asked by NewZimbabwe.com about the changes he had observed in Zimbabwe since his last visit, Mapfumo said he had not seen much of the country during his brief stay.

“I didn’t get to see quite a lot because I have always been cooped up inside, but I did not like the state of our roads because they are bumpy,” he said.

Mapfumo on Monday returned to his base in the United States following the postponement of his scheduled performances after Chivayo’s death.

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