Bitter political tune for Congo singers

Top Congolese musicians have over the years not shied away from plunging headlong into politics, especially during national elections in that country.

They have often come up with compositions extolling the supposed virtues of their favourite politicians during poll campaigns, risking alienating fans who do not support these particular candidates.

But if the truth be told, it has actually been about artistes kow-towing to politicians for favours, resulting in the singers experiencing hostility, hatred and sometimes abuse for being seen to be too cosy with politicians.

Older Lingala music fans will vividly recall the love-hate relationship in the 1970s and 1980s between Congolese singing maestro and lead guitar wizard, Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, and dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

Franco, as the burly musician was popularly known, served a short jail term after he was accused of flouting Mobutu’s cultural ban on supposed immoral lyrics.

Franco, who ruled the Congolese music scene from the mid-1950s until his death in 1989, came out of prison to compose an election campaign anthem for the dictator, a tasty number called Candidat na Biso Mobutu.

Full of praise for dictator

It was full of praise for the dictator and gained popularity around East and Central Africa, becoming the dancehall anthem to many around the region, who did not even understand the political lyrics.

Some of the most moving Congolese music of the 1960s was composed in honour of the first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, who was allegedly assassinated by CIA links, pretty early in his leadership.

The tributes were by, among others, such great singers as Franklin Bokaka and Joseph Kabaselleh (Grand Kalle).

Last year’s highly disputed elections, in which Joseph Kabila controversially won a second term as president, were preceded by campaign songs composed by top musicians, including the flamboyant Koffi Olomide.

A controversial man in his own right, Koffi has sung for both Kabila and veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, whose virtues he extols in the song Koffi chante Tshisekedi wa Mulumba.

The dust may be settling after the elections but for some of the top musicians, the going hasn’t been that easy both inside and outside the DR Congo.

In Europe and Canada, most of the big music stars including Werra Son, Fally Ipupa, Koffi, JB Mpiana and Tshala Muana were “banned” from performing over their perceived support for President Kabila.

A radical movement known as “Bana Congo” or Les Combattants led a crusade to ensure that none of the Kinshasa-based musicians got a chance to perform in Europe.

For Werra Son, who a few days prior to the elections was injured in a road accident, one his nastiest encounters with critics was early last year when his concert was disrupted in Brussels.

An attempt to make up with fans failed and he was forced to cut short his tour and return to Kinshasa.

The sensational Fally Ipupa, formerly a member of Koffi’s Quartier Latin Band, also suffered a similar fate when shows organised early last year in Paris failed to take off due to fear of a boycott.