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Zimbabwe: Zanu PF Uses Dominance of Media to Push Propaganda Jingles
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SW Radio Africa (London)
27 March 2008
Posted to the web 27 March 2008
Brilliant Pongo
In the run up to the March 29 election the Zanu PF government has been using its dominance of radio and television to force feed the public with propaganda songs and jingles.
In one election jingle Zanu PF promises, 'if you want a tractor, vote Zanu-PF. If you want a company, vote Zanu-PF.' Robert Mugabe himself is moving around the country 'distributing' farm implements at his rallies. Commentators say with nothing to offer, all Zanu PF can do is offer bribes.
One viewer that Newsreel spoke to said "Zanu PF is making false promises and it will not be able to keep any of these election promises. Most importantly they must make clear to the public what is Zanu PF money and what is government money. The jingle is a big lie and people will see it as such."
The government has made it almost impossible for any dissenting voices to be heard on the national airwaves and have labelled them as voices sponsored by the west. However this has only made people more creative.
Activists have counteracted the daily propaganda bombardment by creating SMS messages that mock Mugabe and his Zanu PF and voices mimicking or satirizing Mugabe's speeches are proving to be popular ringtones in and outside Zimbabwe.
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The MDC have also seen the power in music, and have commissioned musicians to depict the current situation in Zimbabwe through politically loaded songs. A group of unemployed youths in Rusape came together and have since released popular choir songs, singing praises for the MDC and pointing out the evils of Zanu PF.
But the government has made sure that such compositions are never heard on state radio and television. To counteract this, the MDC have been distributing the music free on CD and cassette.
Long suffering Zimbabweans have had to endure the relentless repetition of Zanu PF's song's and jingles over the states airwaves which include Kwedu Kumachembere, Sisonke, Our Future, Siyalima, Mombe Mbiri Nemadhongi Mashanu, Uya Uone Kutapira Kunoita Kurima, Rambai Makashinga, Sendekera Mwana Wevhu, to name but a few.
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