Zimbabwe: State-Run Media Was Ordered to Shut Out Winky D – Staffers Claim – No Radio, TV Presence for Dancehall Chanter Since Launch of Eureka Eureka
SENIOR staffers at state-run ZBC, Zimpapers and its radio station Staf FM have confirmed an unwritten order for them to shut out dancehall artiste Winky D.
According to some producers, the decision came a few weeks after he launched his Eureka Eureka album on December 31 last year.
Eureka Eureka carries some of the most hard-hitting songs Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party has had to endure. One of its affiliates, Economic Empowerment Group (EEG) even called on state security and censorship boards to bar him from performing within the country.
“His music promotes hate speech to others, as you can see our President is trying to make everything well from the airport, Beitbridge border post, e-passports. Everything has changed so far,” said EEG.
“For now, Winky D must be teaching us good about our leaders, but he acts as if he is used to tarnish and insult our nation.
“As ghetto youths we are not happy. Haungaunganidzi mayouth anozadza ground rese kuti irwai, bvisai vakuru. That is conspiracy, so we do not allow it. We want him banned from performing his music because he does not teach us anything until he starts singing for development.”
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com, producers at Pockets Hill said they had been told not to play his music and although they understood why they could not question it.
“You will not hear Winky D being played on ZBC’s radio stations, that is impossible. We were given clear instructions not to play him and although we knew why we were being given such orders we could not question,” said one of the producers.
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Eureka Eureka has songs such as Ibotso which features Holy Ten. Ibotso bemoans how the rich and powerful continue abusing their authority by taking what is meant for the poor and vulnerable.
It was made popular by two distinct acts; firstly, EEG’s attempts to have it deemed unfit for consumption then secondly Holy Ten’s move to distance himself from its production despite having sung it at the launch and later in South Africa more than two months after its release.
Vafarisi with Bazooker and Poptain, Shaker featuring Enzoh Ishall and Dzimba Dzemabwe alongside UK-based Shingai Shonhiwa are some of the songs on his album that have worsened Winky D’s already strained relationship with the regime.
“We are no longer allowed to play any of Winky D’s music. probably only ZiFM Stereo is playing his songs but even they are shying away from those which are deemed political,” said a Star FM presenter.
A decision by Star FM to leave out the multi-international award-winning artiste from its #ZimNtulikazi poster has irked thousands of his fans who feel the censorship is now going out of hand.
#ZimNtulikazi is the station’s tagline for its July programming where it plays local content only.
July anotopera vasina kumboridza Gaffer
— LCM 🦓 (@LynnDube200) July 1, 2023
A source at the ministry however said there was no such order ever given to any of state-run media.
Winky D will be featuring on Bob Marley’s posthumous Africa Unite album alongside fast-rising star Nutty O and some of Africa’s greatest new talents.
