Editorial Comment: DNA: Go well Andy Brown, you sacrificed for motherland

said about Andy Brown’s lifestyle, especially his love for the bottle and how this could have contributed to his demise at such a relatively young age of 50, it is not disputed that he left indelible footprints in Zimbabwe’s history.
He was a courageous man, one who stood for what he believed was right. At the height of Zimbabwe’s land reform programme Andy Brown, alongside a few other conscientious musicians like the late Simon Chimbetu, stood on the side of the revolution.
It did not matter to them that by so doing they would lose a section of their followers who believed in the politics of regime change that was being championed by MDC and its Western sponsors.
For this stance Andy Brown was vilified and labelled a Zanu-PF apologist, but he stood resolutely right to the end. He sang his revolutionary songs at his shows and recorded some of them.
It is no wonder that Zanu-PF Midlands province is advocating that he be accorded liberation hero status and still be buried at his rural home in Mberengwa. This would be an important statement to make for the country’s national leaders about non-politicians who stand in defence of their country.
The patron of the Zimbabwe Union of Musicians Webster Shamu, perhaps summed up Andy Brown’s contribution when he said: “Andy Brown stands tall because he was the only exceptional musician who stood up when selling out was the easiest and most profitable thing to do. He is truly a Third Chimurenga hero who deserved to be recognised. He was a nationalist in his own right and was not anybody’s microphone. He was his own man and we will not have anyone like him.”
For the record, Andy Brown did not associate himself with partisan politics but stood in defence of what rightfully belonged to the indigenous people of this country.
Musicians often find themselves challenged to stand in the same position as journalists in public defence of the national interest, which is what Andy Brown did. In defending the national interest, they have to be guided by the country’s history, which in the case of Zimbabwe revolves around the liberation ethos.
Whilst Andy Brown might not have been old enough or conscious enough to join the likes of Cde Chinx Chingaira in fuelling the liberation struggle with song and dance, he stood and was counted among those that inspired and strengthened the heroes of the Third Chimurenga and in so doing became a hero of the same revolution.
Even today as resource nationalism gains momentum and the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme begins to deliver real benefits to the people through the Community Ownership Trust programme and various other empowerment deals, there is need for artistes to rise up and support the revolutionary work that is going on, without allowing themselves to be reduced to functionaries of whatever political party might be promoting the programme.
The fact that a political party may gain political mileage from them is less significant if the motive of the musicians’ involvement is promoting the national interest.
This is the reason why most of the country’s top musicians consistently participate in the musical galas that are held to commemorate important national days, which invariably are embedded in the history of our liberation struggle.
In a few weeks time Zimbabwe will be celebrating its 32nd independence anniversary. Music and dance will form part of those celebrations. It would not make sense for a musician not to participate in whatever programmes will be lined up for fear of being labelled a Zanu-PF sympathiser.
It is practically impossible to extricate the united Zanu-PF (Zanu and Zapu) from the liberation struggle that led to the attainment of independence. Neither can one separate the same party from the land reform programme and the other gains of independence. Andy Brown was conscious of this and played his role with distinction and for that we salute him.