Online Reporter
Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Zimpapers Entertainment Editor
AS Zimbabwe enters the Easter season, a time of sacrifice, reflection and rebirth, one voice is cutting through the prayers and celebrations with a message that is as uncomfortable as it is necessary.
Gospel singer Rebecca Manford’s latest single ‘Zvakwana’ has exploded onto the scene.
It is not a feel-good holiday track but as a piercing social statement confronting gender-based violence, child marriages and the harsh realities facing the girl child.
And this time, she is not whispering, she is demanding to be heard.
Dropping the song in the lead-up to Easter is no coincidence. The Christian holiday symbolises suffering, sacrifice and ultimately resurrection themes Manford deliberately mirrors in her music and visuals.“We cannot talk about Easter and ignore pain,” Manford said.
“This season is about confronting suffering before healing. ‘Zvakwana’ is that confrontation, it’s about saying we see the injustice, and we refuse to normalise it.”
From the opening scene, the music video sets a heavy tone – a courtroom, a judge, a verdict against abuse.
It’s symbolic but also painfully real.
Zimbabwe continues to grapple with cases of gender-based violence and early child marriages, particularly in vulnerable communities.By placing justice at the centre of her visuals, Manford is not just telling a story, she is projecting the kind of society many are still fighting to build.
“This is the justice we want to see beyond the screen,” she said.
“Too many cases are hidden, too many voices are silenced. This song is for them.”
The track moves from soft, emotional melodies into a more upbeat Zimdancehall rhythm a deliberate contrast that mirrors the emotional journey of victims – pain, survival and resilience.“This is how life feels,” Manford said. “One moment you are broken, the next you are forced to be strong. I wanted the music to carry that story.”That transition is also tactical — ensuring the song travels beyond elite spaces into everyday Zimbabwean life: kombis, markets, schools and homes.
Unlike many who jump on trending topics, Manford has built her career around purpose-driven music.
Each release has tackled a specific social issue — from gender equality to drug abuse — creating a body of work that reads like a campaign for change.
“This is not a phase,” she said firmly.
“This is my assignment. Music is my platform, but the mission is bigger — it’s about transforming mindsets.”
Beyond the studio, Manford’s voice carries into boardrooms and international platforms, where she speaks on empowerment, financial literacy and personal development.
It is this dual identity — artist and educator — that gives her message both emotional and intellectual weight.
“This Easter, I don’t just want celebration,” she said.“I want conversations at dinner tables. I want parents to ask questions. I want communities to confront what they have been avoiding.”It’s a bold demand — but one that seems to be working.
Social media has been flooded with reactions, with many praising the song’s courage while others admit it has forced them to rethink their own silence on sensitive issues.
And that, perhaps, is the true power of Zvakwana.
It does not just entertain — it unsettles. It challenges. It provokes.
In a music industry often driven by trends and viral moments, Rebecca Manford is choosing a harder path — one that prioritises impact over popularity.
“This is bigger than charts,” she said.
“If one girl feels seen, if one family changes, then the song has done its job.”
