Edgar Moyana Christian Entertainment
South Africa-BASED pastor and gospel artiste Toggy Chivaviro, whose award-winning album, “Nguva Yakanakisisa”, was pirated by a Harare man who was later arrested and convicted of piracy says he has forgiven the man and has since asked him to change  his ways. According to recent media reports, 21- year-old Nyasha Magunje illegally reproduced Pastor Chivaviro’s music and put his own name and image on the CD album before selling copies of the music in different churches in and around Harare.
After his conviction, the imposter was handed a 24-month custodial sentence while six mouths were suspended on condition he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Pastor Chivaviro, who clearly sounded upset with Magunje’s actions, equated piracy with murder as both involved destroying another person’s source of livilihood.
He said he was shocked to receive news that his music had been pirated by a man who besides illegally selling his music, went further to put his own name and image on the CD album thereby stealing ownership of the work.
Pastor Chivaviro said despite Magunje’s actions he had forgiven him and had asked him to repent adding that the law had taken its course.
“Some musicians depend on their music for a living. It is stealing an artiste’s source of livelihood.
“This type of piracy where you take somebody’s album and put your name and  picture on it is unheard of . This was too much but I have forgiven him. I told him so before he went to court and asked him to repent but the law has taken its course.”
Pastor Chivaviro also said more needs to be done to fight piracy and that the current penalty where pirates are charged US$20 fine was not deterrent enough to stop the cancer from spreading.
“Let’s fight to kill this diabolic practice called piracy,” said Pastor Chivaviro.
In Zimbabwe, piracy continues to be a major problem that threatens to stifle the development of the arts sector.
While Government through the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity has promised to end piracy this year, it seems the practice which thrives in the streets of Harare’s central business district, flea markets and the Mbare Musika is regenerating, taking new forms in order to evade authorities.
In a different case, gospel artiste Kudzi Nyakudya was last year arrested and detained by police for a weekend after his recording company, Diamond Studios, preferred  charges against him for breach of contract after he reproduced copies of his music before selling them without the consent of the  company.
In previous interviews with different gospel musicians, it appeared piracy ranks high among the numerous problems facing artistes in Zimbabwe.
Anesu Muchengetwa of Mbare Singers said his group, which is still establishing roots in the music industry, faced problems with music piracy and added that they had resorted to marketing and selling their own music to survive.
“We have plans to sell our music through record shops but at the moment we are selling and marketing our own music,” said Muchengetwa.
Kudzi Sithole of Shower Power said piracy affected their CD sales but urged Government to be more involved in music through different interventions such as stopping the sale of copied music, controlling the sale of blank CDs, destroying the informal sector and limiting the licensing of production houses.
“Piracy is mainly to blame for the weak sales of our CDs.
“To avoid piracy and improve our CD sales we hold live shows in different venues and other countries in the region and abroad,” said Sithole.

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