Mapfumo announces homecoming curtain call.

Zimbabwe's Chimurenga music pioneer and cultural icon, Dr Thomas Tafirenyika Muchadura Mukanya Mapfumo, has announced he will return home in April 2026 for a special curtain-call performance, marking what is expected to be his final appearance in Zimbabwe.

Popularly known as the Lion of Zimbabwe, Mapfumo confirmed the upcoming show following his official retirement from live performances in August 2025. The exact date and venue of the concert are yet to be announced.

Mapfumo has lived in Oregon, United States, for more than two decades. He is widely regarded as the father of Chimurenga music, a genre deeply rooted in traditional rhythms and revolutionary messaging, and as one of Africa's most influential musicians. His music became the soundtrack of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle and later a fearless platform for social and political commentary.

His last performance on home soil was the historic sold-out homecoming concert at Glamis Arena in Harare on 28 April 2018, which marked his return after more than a decade in self-imposed exile. That landmark event was emotionally charged and symbolically powerful, featuring a rare shared stage with late music legend Oliver "Tuku" Mutukudzi.

The upcoming 2026 performance is expected to carry deep cultural and historical significance, serving as the closing chapter in the live performance career of an artist whose work shaped generations. From timeless songs such as "Pfumvu Paruzevha" to "Corruption", Mapfumo's catalogue spans liberation anthems, protest hymns, and enduring reflections on Zimbabwean society.

Thousands of fans are expected to attend what promises to be a moment of national reflection and celebration — a final homecoming for a living legend, as history takes a bow before the Lion of Zimbabwe one last time.