Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. By Paidashe Mandivengerei – POPULAR Zimdancehall star, Seh Calaz, born Tawanda Mumanyi, has begged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to urgently redress the rampant social ills affecting youths, in his newly released single, ‘Letter to the President’.
In the seven-minute heartfelt track, Seh Calaz describes himself as a ‘nobody from the ghetto’ desperate for audience with Mnangagwa over his concerns.
He adds that he hopes his message gets to its audience as it is, ‘undiluted’ by those unaffected by the challenges.
His cry for help packaged into a reggae song brings to the fore, hardships faced by the young living in the country’s high-density areas, suburbs notorious for substance abuse.
In his “letter”, Seh Calaz tackles the issues of broken homes, poverty, and substance abuse, which has become common among the “ghetto youths”, resulting in high crime rates, ill-health, and avoidable deaths.
“Tafa nenzara, misha yaparara nemadrugs mayouth ese aparara. Tiri vana venyu dai mangoticheuka honai tapera nemusombo neguka dai vakuru matinzwawo taneta nenhamo aiwa tava bho,” he chants in Shona.
‘Letter to the President’ was released at a time abuse of dangerous drugs such as crystal meth commonly referred to as ‘guka’ in street lingo has spiked among the youths.
This vice due to poverty, high unemployment rates, and other challenges has been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions.
In his song, Seh Calaz adds that several pleas for help have been directed to the Mnangagwa before, but no favourable response has been received.
“Takamboedza kunyora tsamba asi pamwe takafona kuwrong number. Ndakamboedza kunyarara asi nhamo yakaramba,” the Zimdancehall artiste pleads.
