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Joel Tsvakwi, Showbiz Correspondent
STAKEHOLDERS in the music industry have called on Government to consider conferring heroes’ status to legendary artists when they die in a bid to honour, revive and purvey the legacy they would have left behind.

This comes in the wake of the death of dancehall star, Soul Jah Love (real name Soul Musaka) who was declared a liberation hero last month.

Other fallen artistes who were conferred with the liberation hero status include, war veteran Simon Chimbetu and Dickson Chingaira.

The late Solomon Skuza, a war veteran who was leader of the Fallen Heroes was not granted such status. Sungura legend, Leonard Dembo who died in 1996 also had people lobbying for him to be granted hero’s status.

A few years back, there was talk to place a plaque of the artiste in Zimbabwe’s hall of fame with some suggesting that he be awarded a posthumous honorary doctorate. None of this materialised.

According to the National Heroes Act [Chapter 10:16], the designation of heroes is done by the President “where the President considers that any deceased person who was a citizen of Zimbabwe has deserved well of his country on account of his outstanding, distinctive and distinguished service to Zimbabwe, he may, by notice in the Gazette, designate such a person a national, provincial or district hero of Zimbabwe” (Guide to the Heroes Acre 2014.)

National hero status is the highest honour that can be conferred on an individual and the recipients are entitled to be buried at the national heroes acre, The other statuses are liberation war hero (formerly provincial hero) and liberation hero (formerly district hero). The former are buried at provincial heroes’ acres while the latter are buried at district shrines if their families agree.

A number of analysts have applauded President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s new dispensation for conferring hero’s status to non-political actors such as musicians.

During the previous administration, national hero status or liberation hero status had been largely reserved for war veterans. However, this is now a thing of the past as music legend, the late Oliver Mtukudzi became the first artiste to be accorded with the honour of National Hero status in 2019, despite not being a war veteran as well as Soul Jah love.

Musician, Jeys Marabini is of the view that honouring artistes this way is a noble idea.

“It’s a good idea that Government should honour musicians like Solomon Skuza and many others who did amazing things for the country. Those who went to war as well as those who didn’t, through their music, contributed to various aspects of the country to be what it is today.”

He said the likes of Ndux Malax, Jonah Sithole, Don Gumbo, Fanyana Dube, John Chibadura, James Chimombe and Bhundu Boys are among those who played a huge role in shaping the country’s music industry and as such, deserve being given heroes status.

“Wherever these people are interred, such places need to be spruced in line with the hero status conferred to them. In future, this can also contribute to domestic tourism where people will be visiting such sites in remembering their fallen heroes,” Marabini said.

Music promoter, Polite Nkomo corroborated Marabini’s opinion.

“It’s encouraging that government is slowly expanding on the definition of hero status as opposed to the previous inclination to war veterans only. More has to be done to actually honour our great artists,” said Nkomo.

Amakhosi founder, Cont Mhlanga had a different opinion. He said he believes the issue of artistes being honoured as heroes is Government’s prerogative.

According to Mhlanga, people should not put pressure on Government on this matter.

“It’s very unfortunate that all of us think that we should force Government to recognise artists. Government should not be forced to do what they don’t believe, government should use its understanding of what it defines as national asset of importance.

“If Government cannot recognise content as an important product, then it’s the problem of Government to deal with, not of people or content creators,” he said. – @joelTsvakwi