Leonard Zhakata’s dominance of Radio Zimbabwe’s top 50 has torched a national storm with many saying his big win should be a lesson to poli...
Leonard Zhakata’s dominance of Radio Zimbabwe’s top 50 has
torched a national storm with many saying his big win should be a lesson to
politicians.
Zhakata who scooped all the top three spots is not visible
on social media like his rivals but he is hugely popular in the rural areas
where most his votes come from. But critics say all his votes came via Makandiwa’s followers where Zhakata begged for votes.
Patson Dzamara said Zhakata deserved the win. “ Anyone from
anywhere was free to vote for the songs of their choice. People voted and yes
indeed Zhakata was the monumental winner. At the same time it is also important
to note that Radio Zimbabwe is the biggest radio station in Zimbabwe with the
widest reach. As such it certainly represents a good enough specimen of the
national sentiment.
Secondly and most importantly, it is critical to note that
even though Lkzee is not loud and rumbustious like most musicians he still has
a strong following. His support base is proved by the results. For instance,
Jah Prayzah is touted as the man of the moment but he only got slightly over 5000
votes whereas Zhakata got over 100 000 votes. What can't be disputed is the
fact that indeed Jah Prayzah has proved his mettle and he is riding high but
that has not transmuted in numbers in this particular case. This is a good case
study for political and leadership students.
Zhakata doesn't even post on social media that much but he
has proved the importance of consistence and grassroots support.”
But others see it differently describing Zhakata as “a man
betraying his poetic discography
by releasing terrible pieces of music and
begging his churchmates to vote for him. I think it is sad that the genius
behind meticulous songs like Mugove has been surviving on church popularity and
congregational sympathy.
For years he has managed to beat the system setup by
traditional radio stations (Radio Zim etc) in compiling the hottest songs
released during the year. Curiously, he has failed to win back the hearts of
people who do not spend their Sunday afternoons at the City Sports Centre.”
Zhakata is set to walked away with over $6 000.
COMMENTS