Opinion / Columnist
Hype over Platinum Prince baseless, far-fetched
08 Sep 2015 at 13:35hrs | Views
Idle minds with nothing better to do than spread false social media gossip have of late, been seized with rumours that Zimbabwean dancehall alleged musician, Platinum Prince, had been abducted and killed over a song of his that allegedly mocks President Robert Mugabe.
Leading the pack of lies was the online publication that claims to be the country's eye, which went to town yapping that the musician, if he can be called that, had received death threats by State Security agents and was later abducted.
As has become the norm with the website's reportage, the allegations it carried were later found to be totally false and baseless when Platinum Prince himself dismissed the allegations stating that "ah plus kune vaye vaiti ndafa, hameno henyu cause mazita enyu haapo palist kuno kudenga."
This left egg in the face of those who were hysterically claiming that the musician had been abducted by State Agents and had gone "the Dzamara way."
What is pitiful is not just the penchat of some fly-by-night publications to publish blatant falsehoods against Government. What is most regrettable is the way some Zimbabwean citizens allow themselves to be fooled by this same media into believing that members of the country's security sector have nothing better to do than go around kidnapping and killing nonentities. Surely if that were the case, there would be no opposition leaders or members left to talk of in the country.
It is obvious from the unwarranted hype surrounding Platinum Prince's song that there are misguided elements who hijack any opportunity they can, to tarnish Government much as they did with the Ital Dzamara issue.
While Platinum Prince was busy doing whatever he was doing in one of our neighbouring countries for all we know, one useless excuse for a media organisation was awash with headlines like "Platinum Prince is dead rumour wreaks havoc", "Death threats on Platinum Prince for explosive anti-Mugabe song."
With the advent of social media, where any idiot can wake up and post the bile churned by his mind, Zimbabweans should be wary not to be misled and have their time and energy wasted on baseless rumours meant to tarnish the country's image.
There are better causes to channel our energies towards instead of conspiracy theories against Government.
As for Platinum Prince, the young man should be wary, not of so-called State agents, but of desperate opposition elements that might harm him just so they can paint Government and Zanu-PF black and "evil."
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Perpetua Muzavazi <perpetua.muzavazi@gmail.com
Leading the pack of lies was the online publication that claims to be the country's eye, which went to town yapping that the musician, if he can be called that, had received death threats by State Security agents and was later abducted.
As has become the norm with the website's reportage, the allegations it carried were later found to be totally false and baseless when Platinum Prince himself dismissed the allegations stating that "ah plus kune vaye vaiti ndafa, hameno henyu cause mazita enyu haapo palist kuno kudenga."
This left egg in the face of those who were hysterically claiming that the musician had been abducted by State Agents and had gone "the Dzamara way."
What is pitiful is not just the penchat of some fly-by-night publications to publish blatant falsehoods against Government. What is most regrettable is the way some Zimbabwean citizens allow themselves to be fooled by this same media into believing that members of the country's security sector have nothing better to do than go around kidnapping and killing nonentities. Surely if that were the case, there would be no opposition leaders or members left to talk of in the country.
While Platinum Prince was busy doing whatever he was doing in one of our neighbouring countries for all we know, one useless excuse for a media organisation was awash with headlines like "Platinum Prince is dead rumour wreaks havoc", "Death threats on Platinum Prince for explosive anti-Mugabe song."
With the advent of social media, where any idiot can wake up and post the bile churned by his mind, Zimbabweans should be wary not to be misled and have their time and energy wasted on baseless rumours meant to tarnish the country's image.
There are better causes to channel our energies towards instead of conspiracy theories against Government.
As for Platinum Prince, the young man should be wary, not of so-called State agents, but of desperate opposition elements that might harm him just so they can paint Government and Zanu-PF black and "evil."
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Perpetua Muzavazi <perpetua.muzavazi@gmail.com
Source - Perpetua Muzavazi
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