AS THE run-up to the 12 August 2021 elections continues, Nalikwanda member of parliament Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa will surely face a formidable challenge from singer Petersen Zagaze.
Petersen, real name Mundia Mukubesa, has successfully made the transition from the music scene to being a serious political contender.
When he contested the Lusaka mayoral by-election, he beat the likes of National Democratic Congress candidate Saboi Imboela by over 5,000 votes.
This time around however, Mukubesa has opted to repay Nalikwanda with his intellect and duty to drive the developmental agenda of his native rural constituency.
Born in 1982, Mukubesa holds a degree in Business Administration from LIUTEBM University.
Through social advocacy and indeed music, Mukubesa has contributed to the call for good governance, public accountability and ending poverty among the citizens of Zambia and now wants to harness that energy towards the development of Nalikwanda which is an eyesore in terms of dilapidated public infrastructure and poverty.
Since his emergence on the Zambian music scene in the year 2000, Petersen has courted controversy through his songs.
But even early in his music career, it was apparent that Mukubesa would one day transition from the stage to the political podium as evidenced by his lyrics and subject matter.
His song ‘Anyandule’, which condemned thieving politicians, was banned from public media.
Also unforgettable was ‘Amakwebo mu Church’, a scathing attack on bogus pastors fleecing their vulnerable and suffering flocks.
Petersen’s reaction to politicians was not entirely unexpected.
Pressure also came from some church leaders that took great exception to ‘Munyaule’, a song that out-rightly euphemised sex like no other musician had ever done in Zambia.
He used the visibility the song had brought him to highlight several injustices he saw in Zambian politics and society.
And in the ‘Job 13:13’ album, Mukubesa castigated lawmakers, calling on them to focus on more important things in parliament than debate his songs.
He called Members of Parliament “Ba Mwankole” a local name for crows, pointing out their hypocrisy of making big promises but later abandoning their constituents after elections.
In 2013, he featured in PilAto’s single ‘Bufi’, a highly politically charged song that labelled Michael Sata a ‘father of lies’ and drew negative feedback from supporters of the late president and the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
Regarding his political ambitions, Mukubesa promises to pursue a developmental agenda to channel a fair share of the national cake to Nalikwanda. He also aims to contribute to the greater agenda of Zambian democracy by being a critical independent voice that will bring the Central government to accountability on the use of public resources and general governance.
Kalemba/Mwebantu March 10, 2021
