Zanu PF band leader jumps ship

Standard Style
Midlands province leader of a Zanu PF-aligned music group — Chimurenga IV — John Mutemeri, has defected from the President Emmmerson Mnangagwa-led party to join the opposition MDC Alliance.

By Brenna Matendere in Gweru

Midlands province leader of a Zanu PF-aligned music group — Chimurenga IV — John Mutemeri, has defected from the President Emmmerson Mnangagwa-led party to join the opposition MDC Alliance.

Mutemeri’s band was instrumental during former president Robert Mugabe’s era where it headlined perfomances at major party events like inter-face rallies, annual conferences and congresses.

Under Mutemeri, the band had albums, Go Goi Zimbabwe released in 2011 and Zimbabwe Yangu, which was unleashed two years later.

The group went on to produce a DVD, which merged hits from the two projects whose tracks praised the ruling party and its fallen leader Mugabe.

Mutemeri last week appeared at an MDC Alliance feedback meeting in Mkoba convened by legislator Amos Chibaya, where he openly revealed that he had abandoned the band and Zanu PF to join the opposition.

“As you all know, I was the leader of the band that sang praise songs for Zanu PF and besides that I was a top official of the party. I was actually the political commissar of the party in Mambo district here in Gweru, but today I announce that I have abandoned all that past. I am now joining the MDC,” said Mutemeri, who was clad in the opposition party’s regalia.

Speaking to Standard Style, the singer promised to belt out new hits for the MDC Alliance.

“I will definitely be releasing new songs for MDC, so that we give morale and strength to the party leaders and also motivate the ordinary citizens to support the party, which I know will soon lead this country,” he said.