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Yvonne Ncube, Showbiz Reporter

THE trauma of witnessing his mother being beaten by her boyfriend at the age of 11 has never left Bulawayo based musician Othiniel ‘Oxzy’ Mpofu and it has finally pushed him to release a song that preaches against gender-based violence (GBV).

The single, titled Musacheme, consoles victims of GBV.  The song is aimed at reminding men that they also have mothers and fathers whom they would not like to be harassed by their partners. Oxzy said he composed the track after realising that, as an artist, he has a role to play in the fight against GBV at a time when intimate partner violence is on the increase due to Covid-19 induced lockdowns.

Created under the Music Incubator project by Moto Republik under Magamba network, the track seeks to challenge misinterpretations of the lobola system which has over the years been used to violate women and girls.

Upon its release last month, Oxzy hoped the single would clarify the intended motive of the cultural norm.

“During the lockdown period in most countries there were high recorded cases of gender-based violence. Given the history of abuse that my mother endured from her ex-boyfriend when I was 11 years old, I was driven to write “Musacheme” a Shona word meaning don’t cry.

“The song highlights the issues of gender-based violence and how it has affected a lot of women. It also challenges the misinterpretations of the lobola system (bride price) in which some men who are married now think they own their wives because they paid the bride price resulting in abuse and violation of women rights,” he said.

He said the single was a project initiated by Moto Republik which requires artistes to produce songs which addresses situations faced in their communities.

“The song is created under the Music incubator project by Moto Republik under Magamba network. In this project each artist was expected to produce a song which addressed the situations/ issues affecting their communities. The participants Eden, Kzee, Black Pearl, Asaph and myself worked on a Cypher together in which a video was shot, directed by Bezaleel Mhako. Our facilitators for this project were Tariro Negitare and Synik.

“Men shouldn’t be left aside because they do get abused as well, but it is difficult for them to report such cases as they will be afraid of embarrassment. Social norms teach men to be bold and strong hence if they are abused it becomes hard for to speak out,” he said.— @SeehYvonne