Nick Mangwana doesn't listen to Winky D's music

The Zimbabwean government has firmly denied claims that it imposed a ban on popular musician Winky D's songs from being played on State-controlled radio stations, with Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary, Nick Mangwana, dismissing such assertions during a recent interview.

Winky D, born Wallace Chirimuko, has faced significant scrutiny following the release of his album Eureka Eureka, which features controversial tracks like "Ibotso" and "Dzimba Dzamabwe," as well as more recent songs such as "Kudhakwa" and "Propaganda." These tracks, according to reports, remain blacklisted from the State media.

Speaking during an interview with DJ Ollah 7, Mangwana took the opportunity to address the issue, asserting that at no point had the government ordered a ban on Winky D's music. He refuted any suggestion that the government was targeting the artist or censoring his work.

"Do you wanna have this conversation? I find nothing original in that," Mangwana remarked when questioned about Winky D's style, expressing his personal disinterest in the artist's use of Jamaican Patwa. "I don't understand someone who comes from Zimbabwe, stays in Zimbabwe, grew up in Zimbabwe and tries to talk Patwa, because Patwa was only spoken by the slaves. It came along during the times they spent in the plantations."

Mangwana further elaborated on his preferences for music, stating that while he appreciated reggae and dancehall, he preferred to listen to music that felt authentic to Zimbabwe. "When we are in Zimbabwe, I want to listen to something that is Zimbabwean," he said. Despite his personal opinion, Mangwana was quick to clarify that he didn't view Winky D's music as "bad," but simply not to his taste.

The discussion then turned to allegations that the government had previously restricted Winky D's music due to its perceived political messaging. Mangwana, however, rejected these claims. "If he fights it, would he win? When was it? Was I the Permanent Secretary? Because if I was the Permanent Secretary, we are the ones who can do that but we never did that and we don't know it," he responded.

Mangwana went on to state that the government had no issue with Winky D's career and that it allowed artists to earn a living. "Our lives are not defined on binary lines, that it's either you are for or against, or you are pro Zanu-PF, no it doesn't define our lives, we are human beings first, Zimbabweans second, and then whatever follows," he added.

In the same interview, Mangwana addressed claims that State-controlled media outlets engage in propaganda. He categorically denied the accusation, stating that traditional media does not engage in propaganda. "They are wrong, we don't do propaganda," he said. "What it does is it gives information, of course, in any information giving you certain ideals that you are promoting and certain agendas that you would want to push, but that's not propaganda."

Mangwana further explained that promoting certain values, such as anti-drug messages or highlighting the achievements of the Second Republic, did not constitute propaganda but rather a means of communicating important ideals.

The interview has sparked renewed debate about the relationship between government policies, State media, and the music industry, with Winky D continuing to enjoy significant popularity among his fans despite the controversy surrounding his songs.