A disgruntled MDC- T supporter Shepherd Yuda, who found it a bitter pill to swallow after it was reported that protest singer cum activist Viomak was planning to launch a political party, Zimbabwe Development Leaders, got more than what he had bargained for after the outspoken activist told him that he was a sell out who had sold out ZANUPF’s vote rigging secrets, as she responded to an “unjust and irresponsible ” question he had asked her.
The MDC supporter who is well known for thinking that he is the only Zimbabwean targeted by ZANUPF and him only deserves to be protected from Mugabe did not expect such an honest answer from the activist who is always ready to say the truth about the politics of Zimbabwe whenever the need arises. However, Yuda angrily denied that he is a sell and said what he did was expose Mugabe’s vote rigging tactics and not sell out. Using a hidden camera, the former prison officer is reported to have filmed for the UK Guardian, how ZANU PF supporters rigged Zimbabwe’s election and smuggled the film out of the country.
Irked by reports that the protest singer cum activist was putting some basics in place before announcing the launch of a political party, the MDC supporter, well known for exposing Mugabe’s vote rigging machinery, sarcastically asked Viomak why she claims that her music is banned and is targeted by Mugabe and yet other protest singers are singing from Zimbabwe .
“For what reason would Mugabe`s regime target you. Is it for Singing protest Songs only or what? There might be things we don’t know which perhaps need elaboration. Protest singers like Hosiah Chipanga and Honourable Paul Madzore are still in Zimbabwe and sing openly without fear. So you might have other fears besides singing alone, my sister. “He asked.
Responding to the question Viomak said,
“There are other sell outs like you in Zimbabwe who are selling out ZANUPF’s secrets but they didn’t run away from Mugabe so this should be the answer to your question. ”
Viomak’s response did not go down well with Shepherd Yuda who then wrote on his Facebook wall that “VIOMAK`s troubled mouth needs teeth alignment. She spills shit……..”
The confrontation comes amid claims that some MDC supporters home and away belittle non MDC Zimbabwe activists and treat them as non entities who are not playing any role in the fight for a better Zimbabwe.
“That’s what they do when they know that someone is more powerful than them. They try hard to take away the person’s credibility by all means possible including denying the naked truth. They lie to themselves that they are the only activists and cadres. To them it is about FAME and not the suffering masses. To me it is about the suffering masses and not Fame…..” Said Viomak.
Viomak confirmed that Shepherd Yuda knows why she is banned and targeted but the moment she confirmed that she was planning to launch a political party the MDC supporter found it necessary to discredit her as he thinks Tsvangirai is the only leader who is supposed to run for presidency.
Viomak explained that Yuda knows very well why she left Zimbabwe and a few weeks back in a separate discussion Yuda explained to one MDC leader that Viomak was doing a good job exposing ZANUPF human rights abuses through her music and videos and that it was dangerous and risky for her to work from Zimbabwe.
“As soon as Shepherd Yuda learnt that I am planning to launch a political party he started to behave weirdly as if I was never in good books with him. I am shocked that from nowhere he has chosen to decide that I am not banned and not targeted and yet the repressive laws in Zimbabwe are clear. ” Said Viomak.
Viomak added that singing against Mugabe is a criminal offence. The Broadcasting law, Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) is being used to maintain a state monopoly of the airwaves. Through the Act, the State is preferring a charge of ‘distributing, displaying or selling any recording that is undesirable’ under the draconian law called the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act. Music is censored based on reasons stipulated by the censorship board with the aid of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act of 1967, revised in 1996 and what the public broadcaster deems unfit for public consumption
Exposing his hidden agenda further Shepherd wrote that,
“She is lying that she is a targetted and Banned in Zimbabwe. For what reason would Mugabe target her?”
This did not come as a surprise to Viomak who said she is not liked by some MDC supporters for publicly despising MDC corruption. With 6 protest music albums under her belt, the protest singer has remained one of Zimbabwe’s consistent protest singers and activists who has refused to be silenced as she continues to speak and sing against Mugabe’s human rights abuses at the same time despising bad leadership in the Government of National Unity.
As he continued to make fruitless efforts to convince his colleagues that Viomak is a liar, not a banned protest singer and not targeted by ZANU PF Yuda added that,
“Stupidity would be a possible explanation for the ranting behaviour of this novice Politician. It definitely erodes credibility, because the public would always demand to know certain issues. I am sure you understand where I stand. It is a serious offence to lie before God.”
The singer who is also a freedom of expression campaigner, is one courageous Zimbabwean singer who continues to use her music to expose human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and defend freedom of expression.
Viomak explained that this is not the first time the MDC supporter has embarked on a dirty spree to discredit her work. The singer confirmed that a few months back Yuda foolishly despised her for using still images for her videos “something done by even some MDC supporters as they promote their singers’ music .”At that time Viomak queried why Yuda was saying that to her and yet some MDC protest singers do the same. Yuda went on to apologise for offending her.
Even though it is a well known fact that Zimbabwe activists and protest artists are targeted by Mugabe’s government, Yuda still insisted that his life only was in danger and not Viomak’s. Desperate to convince himself and his collegues that Viomak was not a credible leader since she is a fake asylum seeker the disillusioned MDC supporter added that,
“She is not the first protest singer. Honourable Paul Madzore is still in Zimbabwe, Hosiah Chipanga and even Tongai Moyo. Why would Zimbabwe Government target her? These fake asylum seekers spills shit. She self claimed to be a targetted and banned person by the CIO`s in Zimbabwe. I just impossed a SILLY question to her, to test her credibility and she became confrontational. Why would the CIO target her out of the 13 million Zimbabweans?"
“She never participated in any opposition political activities in Zim. Checks with any branch, province or even the national executive can be done if she wants. She said bad things about the murdered MDC activists. She hasn’t been a threat to Zimbabwe National Security ever since. She doesn’t have any government secrete she knows. She is one of the bogus asylum seekers who tricked the home Office to believe her lies. Shit” He fumed.
Like many other Zimbabwean activists, human rights defenders, journalists and protest singers, including some MDC protest singers who fled Zimbabwe fearing for their lives,Viomak who is arguably the only woman protest singer is a well known protest singer cum activist who has amassed a lot of enemies for her stance against bad governance and her music which directly targets Mugabe and ZANUPF.
In 2006 media reports confirmed a source in the Zimbabwean intelligence confirmed that they chased shadows in their hunt for the musician who had travelled to Zimbabwe from Canada.
"It seems she is using another name, not Viomak. Our guys at the airport and all the country’s borders were alerted, but they all reported that the musician had not crossed. Now we are surprised that she has been in the country for two weeks. She even took a photograph from just a stone’s throw from our offices. She really made a mockery of the whole set up," said the intelligence official.
“Ndorwadziwa nevanhu vanonyepa ini. Kana akafamba papi kuZim hapana anomubvunza. Zimbabwe munoiziva imi. Mungati VIOMAK anoda kuurayirwei imi? Maimuziva here kuZim. Ndakafamba Zim yose ini, I stayed in Manicaland for 3 years. Misangano yeMDC ndaiienda handina kubva ndambonzwa paakambotaurwa nezvake. Damn lier.” ( I am pained by people who lie.If if she walks anywhere in Zimbabwe no one will ask her. Would you say you know Viomak and why would she be killed.Did you know her in Zimbabwe? I travelled the whole of Zimbabwe and I stayed in Manicaland for three years.I attended MDC rallies but I never heard anyone talking about her.Damn lier )”.Fumed Yuda.
This is not the first time the outspoken singer has fallen prey to abusive Zimbabwean men who are convinced that because she is a woman she should remain silent as the right to speak her mind is taken away from her. A group of Ndebele men recently accused her of being a ZANU PF gukurahundi supporter after they chose to misinterpret the meaning of her song Gukurahundi. They only stopped terrorising her after she stood her ground. She reported the matter to police and exposed one of the men, Zenzele Ndebele as being unthankful after she showed to media emails proving that the man had actually been helped by Viomak to publicise his gukurahundi short film despising the same gukurahundi that they had claimed Viomak was supporting.
Highlighting Yuda’s unfortunate story on email Viomak said the Zimbabwean society has generally tended to acknowledge the meek, submissive and quiet woman as the respectable woman, as the woman who is polite and worth marrying whilst the open minded and vocal one is viewed as wild, impolite and uncontrollable. One then finds that most women strive to meet this quality so as to conform to the societal expectations to the detriment of their lives of course. The culture of silence amongst Zimbabwean women is so ‘loud’ and distinct. This has probably contributed to the silence dominating the feminist protest music voice.
It is a well known fact that freedom of expression and opinion is under threat in Zimbabwe. According to Viomak’s free expression website, the Government of Zimbabwe passed draconian laws such as POSA and AIPPA to silence critics. POSA (Public Security Order Act ) became law on 22 January 2002 and the law is being used to ban any form of protest. It imposes severe restrictions on civil liberties and criminalizes activities associated with the freedoms of expression, assembly , association and action. It doesn’t allow activists to speak against the president. It also requires that police be notified in advance of any public gathering of more than two people, and prohibits those which police believe could cause public disorder. Under AIPPA (Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act), journalists and media houses are punished if they write what the Act describes as “falsehoods”, on the basis that they violate freedom of expression. Such laws silence voices of human rights defenders, activists and artistic voices since the laws bar them from criticising Mugabe and his government.