HARARE – ZimDancehall star Soul Jah Love was declared a liberation hero by President Emmerson Mnangagwa Thursday, a move hailed by his legion of fans.
The honour means the government will foot his funeral expenses.
Born Soul Muzavazi Musaka, the copiously talented chanter died aged just 31 from diabetes complications on Tuesday.
“His Excellency, the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa has conferred a Liberation Hero status to (sic) the late Cde Soul Muzavazi Musaka who passed away on February 16 at Mbuya Dorcas Hospital. The family can be contacted through our Harare Provincial office,” a statement from Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu said.
“I shall be most grateful if you would make the usual arrangements for his burial and payment of benefits to his family. He is from Harare Province.”
The honour came as police in riot gear stormed the late musician’s residence in Msasa Park and chased away mourners.
Commotion broke out after the arrival of MDC Alliance youths, including leaders Obey Sithole and Gift Ostallos Siziba when police pounced.
“The police were just being overzealous. We came here to mourn Soul Jah Love because he was a man of people,” Siziba told an online news platform.
“He sang about freedom and he was a free man. We could have confronted the police, but we now know they just don’t want to see wherever we are.”
The music genius produced multiple hits that resonated with the young and the old across all divides.
He will be buried Saturday at Warren Hills Cemetery in Harare.
