Winky D Speaks On Kwekwe Attack, Cancels Kadoma Show Citing Safety Issues

Zimdancehall musician Winky D has issued a statement on the attack he suffered during a show in Kwekwe at the Solomon’s Lifestyle Cafe on the eve of Christmas. He said that he had been warned of the attack and had contacted the show’s promoters before the show.

The musician dismissed reports that he was attacked because he started his performance late. Winky D also announced that he has canceled his show in Kadoma because he no longer feels safe. We publish part of the statement below:

…Recent songs which were misinterpreted as political commentary, should be taken for what they really are, SOCIAL COMMENTARY. More often than not, they point at the obvious and unsaid rather than the abstract. Everything the artist chants on stage is merely meant to connect his performance sets and give art a theatrical form.

The artist never recognised the risks of being devoted to this cause till his last Christmas day, a show that all members of the Vigilance crew would so much want to flush out of their living memories. Their perceived musical vigilant cause came head on with real vigilantes. We had been forewarned about this impending attack though never anticipated the scale and intensity of what then took place. It is alleged that the plan was being circulated on various whatsapp groups.

Out of caution, Management had engaged the Promoter telephonically on several occasions to verify whether he was aware of the same. We were sold assurances to the effect that the threat had since disappeared after his intervention. We were also offered an escort of 21 bouncers, 15 police men with dogs and 10 military personnel. The Promoter went on to instruct us to call his organising team as soon the artist was a few kilometres from Kwekwe to organise for a vehicle change and security escort. We were however sceptical of this arrangement and proceeded to the venue without anyone’s assistance.

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Given these circumstances we were on high alert throughout. The last message sent to Management by the Promoter was that the artist was not supposed to play his latest song “KaSong Kejecha”. Which to say the least remains a shock without cause.

Towards the objective of carrying out the planned attack, machete wielding assailants made bush follow ups and searched rooms. Another group was reportedly said to be waiting to ambush us in Kadoma, however, upon tip off we avoided the obvious route to Harare. We still thank God for guiding us to safety through different routes. Roads were temporarily blocked, but all of this was in vain.

We realised how the noblest energies could be subverted in the name of expedience, how narrow interests could be used against a collective expression of a ghetto discontent constituted artist voice.

I am sure that cheap versions of “absolute truths” are already being peddled. Programmed applauders of everything anti-Winky D should realise that this is no longer the perceived musical beef terrain, (haisi kids game) but real life situations, wherein, had the worst happened, we could have been writing this near the smoke or harmony of a funeral procession.

The story being sold that the artist arrived late for the performance is far from the truth. It’s a falsehood meant to spoil the truth. As always, the artist was on time and ready to perform as per allocated time, his performance was supposed to start at 2:30 and the 0345am being peddled around, is a time at which the artist and his crew were in the midst of scurrying for dear life.

PREMISED ON THE FOREGOING, IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SAFETY, WE REGRET TO ANNOUNCE THAT WINKY D WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO PERFORM IN KADOMA ON THE 31ST OF DECEMBER, 2018. WE DON’T FEEL SAFE AT ALL. SINCERE APOLOGIES TO THE KADOMA FANS WHO WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS USUAL FIREFUL GIG.