BY WINSTONE ANTONIO LATE legendary music icon and national hero Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi continues to dominate scene from the grave after Amnesty International Zimbabwe today honoured him with a special award for using music to denounce gender-based violence at an event held at a local hotel in the capital.
The event, held as part of the commemorations of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, also saw community theatre groups honoured for campaigning against gender-based violence (GBV). The 16 Days of Activism against GBV is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.
The music superstar died at 66 in 2019 and was declared a national and buried at his rural home in Madziwa in Mashonaland Central.
His career with 66 albums under his sleeve, took him to the international stage as his music impacted people’s lives with content that mirrored people’s day-to-day struggles. Africans and in particular Zimbabweans internationally could relate to his music. His music still remains alive to this day.
The late international acclaimed Tuku once played at a global fundraiser for Amnesty International alongside American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor Sting, another American singer, songwriter, and musician Bruce Springsteen and English singer, songwriter, musician, record and producer Peter Gabriel.
Tuku contributed immensely to the nurturing of Zimbabwean music talents and holds various prestigious positions, among them Goodwill Ambassador for United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the coveted Cavaliere of the Order of Merit bestowed on him by the Italian government.
The African Union Goodwill Ambassador on ending Child Marriage Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda attended the event among other guests.
