Thabo Kawana says artists must remain professional by not drawing themselves into partisan politics.
Gospel artist Kings Mumbi, popularly known as Malembe Malembe today apologised for having taken sides by openly supporting the former ruling PF in previous elections, saying he has done so upon serious reflection and having received counsel.
But speaking with Daily Revelation in his personal capacity, Kawana said the key was for the artists to know that they were professional performers and therefore their role is to transmit a message on behalf of their clients, who can be anybody including those in government and the opposition.
“The artist’s role is to sell the message on behalf of a client. Now selling a message does not mean that you become a part of the client. No! Your service is to sell the message,” said Kawana. “So desist from becoming part of the client because if client A is selling a message even client B is selling another message. But if you are a professional artist both client A and client B can engage you to sell their products. But if you become part of client A client B cannot use you. And this is what we are saying. If we are going to sing songs to promote a political party’s agenda and so on let them not be part of the political party. Let them be professional, they are artists. Anybody can go to them. For example somebody can go and say here is an artist sings alebwelelapo, the same artist can be engaged by another political party to sing akekala pesa … Because natwikalapo kale.”
