Russo Chiradza Claims He Was Never Paid $30,000 Prize For UNWTO Tourism Song

Veteran producer and media consultant Russo Chiradza has revealed he never received the $30,000 prize he won over a decade ago for his song selected as the theme for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly in Zimbabwe. Chiradza, now focused on farming, said even a fraction of the prize would have been meaningful. He lamented:

“Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, maybe someday ZTA and National Arts will remember me, even vakangondipawo thaza zvaro pamwe moyo wangu unosununguka 🤦🏿🤣. Sezvo iri National Youth Day kudai pane muYouth akambovharwa mari 😢,”

You May Like This

• EU Has Lifted Some Sanctions On Zimbabwe, Keeps Arms Embargo

The song, unveiled in July 2013, was chosen from 38 entries to represent the UNWTO 20th session. At the time, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) promised full sponsorship of the prize and an adjudication process to reward deserving producers.

Despite these assurances, Chiradza never saw the money, raising questions about accountability in the collaboration between ZTA and NACZ. Officials had emphasized promoting Zimbabwe through music, encouraging producers to create compositions reflecting the nation’s tourism potential.