Govt allays Mukanya arrest fears

**chimurenga music legend, Thomas Mukanya Mapfumo**

Oscar J Jeke

Government has said veteran chimurenga musician Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo is free to perform in the country as he has done in the past, arguing Zimbabwe is a democratic dispensation.

This comes as Mapfumo expressed interest in holding his farewell show in his native country, but expressed fears of arrest by the authorities over his previous criticism of past elections and government policies.

In a post on X, Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Nick Mangwana said that there have been conversations between government and Mapfumo where he was told that he is free to come to Zimbabwe and even hold his shows in the country as it is not a crime to express oneself.

“We have had conversations with 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?” Mangwana posted.

He added that the coming in of the Second Republic allows for all Zimbabweans in the diaspora to come home freely even so the sentiments were said during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

“ . . . President ED did not declare a single Zimbabwean a persona non grata (PNG). On the contrary, he asserted every Zimbabweans cardinal right to come home (including during Covid-19 lockdowns).

“We are a democratic State and we don’t arrest people for free speech that doesn’t break our laws,” Mangwana added.

Mapfumo has been living in exile in the United States for over two decades after criticising late former President Robert Mugabe and his regime. He kept on criticising the current President Emmerson Mnangagwa who assumed power through a military coup in November 2017.