Opposition leader unveils album calling for removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe

Gibson Mhaka

OPPOSITION party Zimbabwe Republicans Front (ZRF) leader Fanuel Lisenga has released an album calling for the total removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries.

Recently, the United States made piecemeal adjustments to the sanctions regime imposed on Zimbabwe. The album, titled Chida Moyo Zimbabwe, features tracks such as Sanctions must go, Ruva remoyo Zimbabwe, Yotongwa nevatema and Muchaputsa tembere yashe, which address a wide range of social issues affecting the people.

Lisenga, who believes that music has the power to unite people, feels that the removal of sanctions would allow Zimbabweans to reach their full potential.

“Music has actually been in me ever since I was very young. The core idea for me is to work for the betterment of my country, regardless of whether you’re in government or not. That’s why I composed the songs on my latest album Chida Moyo Zimbabwe including, Sanctions must go, Ruva remoyo Zimbabwe, ‘Yotongwa nevatema,’ and ‘Muchaputsa tembere Yashe.’ The positive response I’m receiving from people shows a lot of promise,” said Lisenga.

He said music, for him, was something that he believed would unite people.

“I’ve been observing the situation in our country for quite some time now. There’s a lot of animosity, where people believe that if you’re in the opposition, you shouldn’t work with those in the ruling party. My point is that if we can achieve unity, like in some other countries where people work together for the nation despite differing political affiliations, we can accomplish a lot as a country,” Lisenga said.

He added: “These songs all promote unity. For example, ‘Sanctions must go’ calls for the complete removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe. The Western powers claim these sanctions are targeted to punish specific individuals, like our government leaders. However, the song argues that the sanctions actually harm the entire country and emphasises the need for international assistance.

“Ruva remoyo Zimbabwe expresses love for our country. It’s a call to unity, urging all Zimbabweans to work together and speak with one voice when it comes to rebuilding our nation. Yotongwa vevatema addresses the need to value black leadership. The song argues that black people are just as capable as white people of leading effectively, but that we must support each other to achieve this”.

During the interview Lisenga performed the songs from the album flawlessly, showcasing his mastery of the lyrics. He said his love for music stems from the inspiration of the late Tongai Moyo, whose music captivated him in his youth.