As midnight approached on 17 April 1980, the Union Jack came down in Salisbury, and the flag of independent Zimbabwe went up. Moments later, Bob Marley took the stage and sang “Zimbabwe”.
Marley had written “Zimbabwe” for his 1979 album Survival, as a song of support for the liberation war against the white minority government of Rhodesia. “Every man got a right to decide his own destiny,” it begins. When Zimbabwe won independence, the new government invited him to perform at the celebrations.
Paying his own way
Marley was so keen to be there that he paid for much of the cost of flying his band and equipment to Salisbury, now Harare. For the Rastafarian singer, whose music spoke about African liberation and unity, it was a chance to celebrate a victory he had sung about.
The concert
The concert took place at Rufaro Stadium. Dignitaries included Prince Charles, representing Britain, and the new prime minister, Robert Mugabe. Thousands of people who could not get in gathered outside the stadium. When the crowd pressed against the gates, police fired tear gas, and it drifted into the stadium, forcing Marley and the band to leave the stage briefly.
Marley returned and performed a set that included “Zimbabwe”, “Get Up, Stand Up” and other songs. He also played a second concert for a larger public audience.
Reggae and Africa
Marley’s performance was one of the most important moments in the relationship between reggae and Africa. His songs about Africa, including “Africa Unite”, made him a hero across the continent, and his music influenced African reggae artists such as Lucky Dube, Alpha Blondy and Majek Fashek.
Gabon
The Zimbabwe concert was one of the few times Marley played in Africa. He had performed in Gabon earlier in 1980, a trip that disappointed him because the audience was mainly the country’s elite.
A year later
Marley died of cancer in May 1981, just over a year after the Zimbabwe concert, at the age of 36.
Zimbabwe’s story
Zimbabwe’s early promise faded over the following decades under Mugabe’s rule, with economic collapse and political violence. The song “Zimbabwe” remains a reminder of the hopes of 1980.
Marley sang that every man had the right to decide his own destiny. He stood on the stage the night the country got that right, coughing through the tear gas.
