Nigerian singer Burna Boy, real name Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, reportedly angered ZANU PF officials on Friday after he refused to wear a scarf as an endorsement of the ruling party.
The award-winning artist performed for an hour at a filled-to-capacity Belgravia sports club in Harare on Friday, after a two-year delay of the show because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Journalist and Government critic, Hopewell Chin’ono, claimed ZANU PF officials swore at Burna Boy after he refused, twice, to wear a ZANU PF scarf. Tweeted Chin’ono:
They offered him money to wear the scarf, and he refused twice!
The youthful ZANUPF councillor and Deputy Minister were so upset at the rejection, that one of them mumbled, “Hatidye sadza kumba kwaMai vake.”
Safe travels @burnaboy, you are not a fool like the washed-up boxer!
A ZANU PF member, believed to be new Mabvuku councillor Scott Sakupwanya, who was recently pictured with American boxer Floyd Mayweather in Dubai, who was wearing the ZANU PF scarf, tweeted:
Burna Boy you refused a scarf to warm you up in this cold spell, who does that?
Unlike the majority of Zimbabweans musicians who avoid commenting on political issues of the day for fear of reprisals by ZANU PF, Burna Boy is known for his stance against oppressive systems.
In 2020, the Nigerian artiste was one of the world’s top celebrities who endorsed #ZimbabweanLivesMatter, a protest movement modelled after the American Black Lives Matter campaign.
Meanwhile, Burna Boy was supported by star Jah Prayzah, DJ Arnold Mduli popularly known as Kyotic and South African based model and television presenter Robinson Kimberly.