John Kariuki
25 December 2007
Nairobi — OVER THE YEARS, music censorship has evolved from crude and highhanded bans into a subtle but equally nefarious form wherein cultural prejudices are applied to deny exposure to certain forms of music.
But this cultural censorship now has a new force to deal with - the Music Freedom Day, which had a test run this year and is expected to be an annual event from next year.
It is set for March 3 and will feature music or musicians whose works have been censored or banned. It will be broadcast live by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and beamed via satellite to other stations in within the European Broadcasting Union.
A one-hour edited version of the concert will also be available for other stations.
The Nobel Peace Centre on its part will hold seminars with musicians, journalists and other interested parties to discuss censorship of music.
Zimbabwe is presently in focus, with more musicians facing restrictions or outright ban due to their music being considered offensive by the President Robert Mugabe regime.
In August, the Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu instructed the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation to cut down on urban groove, saying that it had a negative attitude towards women.
Among songs immediately affected by the state action was Jatrophar by Dino Mudondo, which was criticised for portraying women as sex pests.
A reporter in Harare claims that at least six albums have been affected by the order so far, and all are immensely popular among urban youth. Though the minister has denied ever issuing such an order, monitors note a drastic change in music content.
THE URBAN GROOVE STYLE enjoyed a high profile on Zimbabwe radio during the tenure of Jonathan Moyo as information minister. Moyo is credited for encouraging its broadcast on the country's state-owned radio and television.
The restrictions now placed on urban groove add to the list of censored music, which had previously focused on anti-Mugabe music and musicians advocating a change of guard in that country as it continues it slide into poverty directly attributed to the policies adopted by President Mugabe.
In Kenya, the preference for so-called urban music has created a cultural censorship that favours American or American influenced music at the expense of Kenya's authentic forms.
The Music Freedom Day music concert becomes the second major music event in Oslo after the Nobel Peace Concert in December, held a day after the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Three years ago, Kenya's Suzanne Owiyo became the first East African musician to perform at this concert when Professor Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Prize for Peace.
Organisers of Freedom Day expect it to grow into a major international event.
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