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Musician
pulls out of May Day function after death threats
ZimOnline
May 02, 2006
http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=12042
HARARE - A prominent
Zimbabwe musician Hosiah Chipanga was on Monday forced to pull out
of a Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) organised function in Harare
after he received death threats from anonymous sources.
Speaking to
ZimOnline yesterday ahead of the ZCTU function at Gwanzura Stadium
in Harare, Chipanga said he had pulled out of the function after
he received death threats through his mobile phone.
"I was supposed
to perform at Gwanzura today (Monday) but I will not be able to
do so due to threats I have been receiving through my phone. I'm
not quiet sure who is phoning me but I have been phoned by three
different voices warning me not to perform or else lose my life.
"Though I know
I would be safe during the performance, my life would at stake afterwards.
This is the reason why I have decided to withdraw," he said.
ZCTU secretary
general Wellington Chibhebhe condemned the threats against the musician
and said the act was a desperate act of abuse of power by the Harare
authorities.
"Chipanga had
for the past days been receiving threats through his mobile phone
and they even went to his place to warn him to refrain from performing
at our functions.
"This is purely
an abuse of power by (President Robert ) Mugabe and needs to be
condemned in the strongest terms. Chipanga is an artist and artists
speak for the voiceless," said Chibhebhe.
The Zimbabwean
musician, who sings in the local Shona language, has raised the
ire of Mugabe's government in the past because of his sharp lyrics
deemed critical of the Harare authorities.
Last year, Chipanga
was threatened by the government's feared Central Intelligence Organisation
secret agents after playing songs at a state-funded gala suggesting
Mugabe would only relinquish power through death. - ZimOnline
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