Mugabe has always lost to Tsvangirai, says Thomas Mapfumo

President Robert Mugabe has maintained his lengthy grip on power through electoral chicanery - including rigging polls - at the expense of opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, exiled music icon Thomas Mapfumo, pictured, has said.

Speaking on "Live Talk: The Connection" radio show on Voice of America's Studio 7, the United States-based Mapfumo - a fierce critic of Mugabe, who predicted Zimbabwe's corruption scourge way back in the 90s - said Zimbabweans have not been electing Mugabe in successive elections, accusing 93-year-old leader of electoral theft.

During the show, he exchanged harsh words with a ruling Zanu-PF United Kingdom (UK) branch chairperson Nick Mangwana, who had defended Mugabe's continued stay in power.

Mapfumo lost his cool and insulted Mangwana saying "aiwa-PFutseki iwe", after he argued that the nonagenarian's long incumbency was because people constantly vote for him.

Asked by Mapfumo why Mugabe was clinging on to power and contesting the next elections despite his advanced age, Mangwana retorted: " Mugabe is being chosen by his party to represent it, so I think the question should be directed at the whole party."

This did not go down well with the Corruption hitmaker who interjected, arguing that "vaka chuzwa nani? (who chose Mugabe?)"

"Vaka chuzwa nani, tirikuda kunzwa kuti ndiani akavachuza, haikona kutaura zve mangamanga mhani iwe. (We want to know who chose Mugabe, don't talk nonsense)," Mapfumo thundered, adding that he was not keen on conversations that give legitimacy to Mugabe's presidency.

"Aiwa conversation uchitaura zvinhu zvemangamanga, marubbish iwayo, ndo conversation yacho iyoyo, uri kutaura zvinhu zvisina musoro, murume mukuru haunyare? Vaka chuzwa nani, havana kubira Tsvangirai maelections?

"Vakachuzwa nani, ndati vakachuzwa nani, ivo vakabira maelections? (I don't want to engage in such silly conversations when it is clear that he stole elections from (Morgan) Tsvangirai)

"Aiwa-PFutseki iwe hauna ne musoro, aiwa handichada nyaya yenyu iyi, handichada kutaura nezve… munhu uyu akapusa. Tiri kushupika isu, ngaarege kutaura muromo waari kutaura uyu, handidi kutaura naye munhu uyu. (I don't want to hear your story any more especially when this guy say such rubbish while we are suffering)."

Even threats by Mangwana to disengage from the programme did not deter Mapfumo, who continued savaging the hapless Zanu-PF cadre.

Not even the passionate pleas by the host could calm him down.

"Mukanya (Mapfumo's totem), vakomana, VaMangwana vadropper phone nekuti mavatuka . . . (Mangawana has switched off the phone because you have verbally abused him).

Mapfumo shot back: "Ngava drope zvavo, vari kutaura zvinhu zvemangamanga, havana musoro avo (Let him cut off the phone, his contribution is senseless)".

In the end, the host had to profusely apologise to the clearly offended Mangwana and the audience for Mapfumo's badgering.

But Mapfumo still would not back down.

"Aiwa, ndatenda hangu vakomana, inini hangu handichada kutaura nyaya yakadaro, zvinotondirwadza, zvinotondirwadzisa izvozvi, handisi kutombonzwa munhu weZanu achitaura izvo, nyaya yenyu taurai mega, please ndisiyei, aiwa ndisiyei, ndakutovhara phone yangu so. (Thank you guys. I don't want to talk about this anymore because it pains me and I don't even want to hear anyone from Zanu-PF saying that, so have your conversation on your own and leave me in peace)," he said as he cut off the phone.

Mugabe lost to long-time rival Tsvangirai in the first round of voting in the 2008 elections before going on to "win" the subsequent runoff albeit in controversial circumstances.

This was after Mugabe unleashed a reign of terror against MDC supporters, forcing Tsvangirai to withdraw citing voter intimidation, making the poll a one-man race.