Vusumuzi Dube
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
CHIMURENGA music founder Thomas Mapfumo is free to come back to Zimbabwe and host any shows, as the Second Republic is not interested in persecuting him for his views, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana has said.
Mapfumo last year hinted that he was now winding down his career with shows around the globe.
Posting on Twitter, formerly X, Mr Mangwana said Mapfumo was welcome back in the country like any other Zimbabwean.
“We have had conversations with Mr Thomas Mapfumo’s handlers, including Mukanya himself on the phone. He wants to hold his swan song in Zimbabwe but he is scared that he will be arrested. For what? Nobody is interested in him. At the culmination of the Second Republic, President ED did not declare a single Zimbabwean a persona non grata (PNG). On the contrary he asserted every Zimbabwean’s cardinal right to come home (including during Covid19 lockdowns),” he said.
While Mapfumo has in the past been a harsh critic of the government, Mr Mangwana added that the government would not arrest anyone for exercising their right to free speech.
“Mr Mapfumo and many other Zimbabweans did come home without any restrictions. Some continued their activities within and without the country afterwards. We are a democratic State and we don’t arrest people for free speech that doesn’t break our laws. Mr Mapfumo is a soon -to-be octogenarian, and we wish well in his remaining years. He has a lot of fans and detractors. That’s life. See you in Zimbabwe Mukanya,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu