Pilato hits back at PF: Let ZAWA complain about my song, not you
Controversial artiste Pilato has offered a typically hilarious response to the 48-hour ultimatum given to him by the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) to withdraw his hit song ‘Koswe Mumpoto (Rat in a Pot)’, which they believe is insulting President Edgar Lungu.
Yesterday, Central Province PF youth chairperson Moses Chilando demanded that the singer withdraws the song, branding it “insulting, provocative, degrading and outside the province of one’s entitlement to freedom of expression.”
Chalando warned Pilato that PF youths will not stand by and watch him insult President Lungu at will in the name of freedom of expression.
But in a statement posted on his Facebook page, the eccentric singer-cum-social activist said he “can’t understand why humans are involving themselves in the issues of rats and other things”, adding that that if it was the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) complaining about the song, he would understand.
Pilato maintained that he was not a politician but an artist concerned about the wellbeing of citizens.
“48 HOURS OF?” Pilato wrote. “I am an artist and not a politician. Politicians produce statements out of duty not out of their convictions. In a society where political power is the ultimate power, people begin to fight for relevance by doing all sorts of things. Young men and women begin to make blank statements just to capture the attention of those with power to lift them. Politics have become a platform for the loudest and the strongest and often times people raise their voices neglecting the need to raise their levels of reasoning and consciousness. In this fight for relevance, prophets and pastors have been insulted and embarrassed. In this same fight for relevance brutality against young people pursuing their dreams has been justified. People have lost lives in this struggle for political relevance.
“Every young person must critically ask themselves, what type of a society are we creating?”
The satirical singer wondered why humans where getting offended when the song was about rats.
“I have received the warnings and the insults and after reading the statements targeted at me, am left confused. I can’t understand why humans are involving themselves in the issues of rats and other things. If the statements were coming from ZAWA it would have been understandable. Ladies and gentlemen, am sorry i do not have the intelligence or wisdom to withdraw a song. I don’t even know if i have to go to an ATM machine or bank just to withdraw a song that’s about rats. Kindly guide me on how this can be done and i will surely comply.”
He stated that he did not have the physical power to defend himself when attacked but wondered what those threatening him would achieve by killing him.
“Those threatening violence and death on me, kindly be advised that i do not possess any physical power to defend myself. I do not wield weapons but thoughts and ideas. You will without any difficulty beat me and possibly kill me? Then what? Is your commitment to inflict pain on me more than your commitment to having a socially just society? Where then do you draw your confidence to claim your humanity? I am just an artist with thoughts and ideas.”
Listen to the song below: