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Africa Moyo

Deputy News Editor

As Zimbabwe reverts to total lockdown as part of measures to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections from today, gifted lyricists Hosiah Chipanga has likened the pandemic to a thief or a terrorist who inflicts pain on his victims.

Covid-19 broke out in March last year in Zimbabwe, resulting in a national lockdown that saw schools and companies shutting down as the Government sought to control the spread of the pandemic.

On Wednesday, the Government announced that the school calendar for this year would be deferred until it becomes safe to open due to fresh Covid-19 cases.

In his album titled “Mishonga neHuroyi”, Chipanga acknowledges the potency of Covid-19 which has grounded international flights and businesses.

In the track called Covid-19, Chipanga says while other diseases required doctors, prophets and in some cases n’angas, coronavirus had resulted in the police and the military going on the streets to ensure compliance to restrictive measures.

“Chazezesa muparadzi, maenzanise corona urimukono pane imwe mikono, urindururani. Zvimwe zvirerwe zvinoda dzin’anga, madhokotera nemaporofita, iwe unotoda nemapurisa asi urimbavha? Zvimwe zvirwere zvinoda dzin’anga, madhokotera nemaporofita iwe unotoda mauto, Covid urigandanga (Some diseases require n’angas, prophets and doctors but you want the police, are you a thief? You also want the army; Covid-19 you are a terrorist?).

“You have shut down the whole world, and people are moving around with ‘curtains’ on their mouths, both the employed and unemployed are home; Covid-19, you are stubborn,” said Chipanga.

The mention of the police and army follows the deployment of the security services to enforce lockdown regulations, realising that some people may still want to move around, posing a threat to not only themselves, but those around them.

He added that both the rich and poor were now spending the day indoors while touts were also stuck at home, “like rats and cockroaches in the kitchen”.

However, analysts say while Chipanga did well to indicate the dangers associated with Covid-19, he gave too much power to the disease and forgot to raise more awareness so that its spread was contained.

The album has four tracks, which apart from Covid-19, include “Midzi neHuori”, “Cyclone Idai” and “Councillor”.

“Councillor” is a controversial track that reminds urban councillors that they seek support from vendors in the build up to an election, despite operating from an illegal market stall.

However, straight after being elected, the councillor deployed bulldozers to remove the voter on the basis that they were operating illegally, says Chipanga.

The story speaks to what is obtaining at the moment as some people benefitted from illegal stands distributed by the councillors themselves and some council executives, but have now been left homeless after their houses were demolished by the same council.

In Harare, a number of officials including councillors and top executives have pending cases in court on allegations of corruption involving land.

In the track “Mishonga neHuroyi”, Chipanga discourages people from using juju, which he likens to corruption, adding that both were not good in life.