{{South African musical group Freshlyground was on Sunday deported from Zimbabwe soon after they arrived for a performance at the just ended Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA).}}
Immigration officials said the group was denied entry because it had no valid work permit.
However, indications are that Freshlyground was asked to pay for their 2010 video ‘Chicken to Change’ urging President Robert Mugabe to step down.
In 2010 the group was barred from entering Zimbabwe for a show in Harare.
A Zimbabwe immigration official Francis Mabika said the seven members’ had been denied work permits.
“The group was sent back because they did not have a valid work permit,” he said.
Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi said the immigration department acted within the country’s laws to deny the group entry.
“Those are the laws of the country,” he told the State owned Herald newspaper on Monday. “Do you want to us to bend the laws of the country just to suit a South African group?
{{Human rights violations}}
“The officials who refused them entry were just implementing the laws of the country.”
Sports, Arts and Culture deputy minister Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga said when HIFA officials approached them for help it was too late.
She said the immigration department had alerted HIFA on time that chances were high the group would not be allowed entry.
Freshlyground angered President Mugabe’s supporters after producing the song mocking him for alleged human rights violations.
The song urges the 90 year-old leader to “become the hero he used to be” by stepping down.
HIFA is one of the biggest annual arts festivals from Zimbabwe that attracts top artists from all over the world.
Tourists also flock to the festival, which has at times invited the wrath of the authorities for allowing artists to stage shows mock President Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF party.
NMG
Leave a Reply