Zimbabwe: Defao Must Go - Immigration

allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: Defao Must Go - Immigration

Memory Hlanganiso

6 June 2009

Harare — THE Immigration Department was yesterday still looking for Congolese rhumba artiste, General Defao with the intention of deporting him.

Principal Immigration Officer, Evans Siziba, said they would not allow General Defao to perform any show - starting last night-as he did not have a work permit.

He added that members from the Immigration department were on the lookout in Mutare where Defao had been advertised to perform last night.

There were unconfirmed reports that Defao -- now a second rate rhumba artiste -was holed up at Rainbow Towers in the capital.

"He is not going to perform, he doesn't have authority to be in the country after his permit expired on Wednesday. If he performs it will be illegal and a serious violation on the country's immigration laws.

"He has to go and we are looking for him and once we find him he will have to leave. A decision has been made and he has to go. He will have to apply for a work permit from outside the country.

"When you apply for a work permit, it can be approved or declined and he has to wait for the outcome of the application while outside the country.

"We've already activated our systems and our guys are watching with keen interest what will happen tonight (last night)," said Siziba.

Meanwhile, prominent HIV activist -- Pastor Maxwell Kapachawo -- has come under heavy criticism from members of the Zimbabwe Network of Religious Leaders Living with or personally affected by HIV/Aids for fraudulently acquiring rights to organise fundraising shows on behalf of the organisation.

Kapachawo is one of the co-producers of the forth-coming shows featuring Le General Defao together with Karen Madeke of Venus Promotions.

He was also behind the aborted Alain Kounkou shows early last month and raising funds to help members of Zinerela was said to be the main cause.

It emerged this week that Kapachawo was no longer a member of Zinerela having officially handed over his resignation on December 5 last year.

According to Sheikh Mustafa Wasili, the national board chairman of Zinerela, Kapachawo was no longer involved in the affairs of the organisation having resigned last year while he was once suspended on disciplinary grounds in 2007.

"We are a concerned lot because the organisers are using our name for their benefits without our consent.

"We are also surprised that they say they represent us when in fact we have not agreed to partner them. We as pastors would not appreciate the idea (of staging Defao shows) because it interferes with our repute.

"If we had wanted to do a fundraise show, we could do other better things other than organising such a gig," he said.

Kapachawo asked to be contacted later but his phone was no longer available up to the time of going to print.