By Fidelis Manyange

A FRIEND, a musician and a liberator is how best I can describe the late Cde Chinx, born Dick Chingaira.
I count myself among people who had the good fortune to interact with the late talented musician.
My first encounter with him was in 1997, during my days as a presenter with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s (ZBC) Radio 2, now Radio Zimbabwe.
Being the youngest presenter at the station at that time and trying to carve a niche in the demanding field of broadcasting, I was naturally eager to meet every prominent musician.
And Chinx was one of the prominent musicians I used to watch on television — his ‘Vanhu Vese Vemuno MuAfrica’ on Mutinhimira Wemumhanzi/Ezomgido remains one of my all-time favourites.
I was introduced to him by my mentor, the late Sam Sibanda, when he came to Radio 2 for some Independence celebrations adverts inserts.
The icon was donning his usual black beret and when he took it off to greet Sibanda, that was a funny sight for me.
I had never seen Cde Chinx without his beret.
The comrade maintained this style of dressing from the liberation struggle days.
Such was my admiration for the man that I had to stick the cover of his album, Njiva Dzoimba, which contains the popular song ‘Vanhu Vese Vemuno MuAfrica’ on the studio wall.
Surprisingly, when I visited the Radio Zimbabwe studios in Mbare last month, the album cover was still on the wall, still intact, though timeworn.
Staring directly at every presenter broadcasting is the image of Cde Chinx standing on the map of Africa with the words ‘Africa Unite’ prescribed on it.
It is painful that the iconic artiste is no more.
It was in the heyday I discovered the musician liked to spend time with young journalists, sharing his Chimurenga experiences.
Spending time with Cde Chinx was a sublime experience; you only had to listen and contribute nothing as the man could talk and talk.
The war, its objectives, the aspirations of the blackman and woman were important to him.
It appeared his greatest fear was of the young forgetting these objectives of the liberation struggle.
He would incessantly talk about his experiences during the struggle.
He was happy to work with young musicians.
In 2005, he called me to say: “Taakupinda paAfrica Day ndoda kukupa mazwi ekambo ‘Vanhu Vemu Africa’ uise mupaper, vanhu vanenge vasingakazive.”
I interviewed him over the phone, noting down the lyrics and when I finished, he asked me to read for him while making necessary amendments.
One of the liberation struggle songs he helped popularise was ‘Nzira Dzemasoja’ which he performed with the ZANU PF Choir. He would go on to do it with the Police and Prison bands backed by instruments after independence.
One day he elaborated to us every single sentence of the song whose words were written by China’s Chairman Mao Tse-Tung.
He emphasised these words:
“Tererai mitemo yose nenzira dzakanaka…
Taurai zvinetsika kuruzhinji rwevanhu, kuti mass inzwisise zvakananga musangano
Bhadharai zvamunotenga…”
His message was that if every youngster in Zimbabwe grew up taking heed of this message, we would surely have a prosperous nation.
Cde Chinx was full of humour.
One entertainment scribe once paid him a visit to check progress on a project he was working on.
He spent almost an hour looking for the master copy.
He finally found it hidden on top of the wardrobe wrapped in some clothes: “Munoziva sister ivo vana vangu pano ava vafana ava vanoswera varitora razara munyika ino yese rapairetwa.”
Musically, what was fascinating about Cde Chinx is the way he could work with artistes of different genres.
He worked so well with the likes of Andy Brown, Keith Furqherson, Busi Ncube and Don Gumbo in the Band Ilanga.
He was a man of the people.
Cde Chinx, like Give Nare of the LMG Choir, used music to free the country.
Cde Chinx represents other artistes like Ketai Muchawaya, Rex Moto Moto, Marko Sibanda, Knowledge Kunenyati and all others who contributed to the liberation of the country through music.
You have fought a good fight Comrade!
Go well people’s friend, father, teacher, entertainer and liberator!