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Tribute to Lokassa Ya M’Bongo

By Fidelis Manyange BACK in the late 1990s when I was at ZBC’s Radio 2, now Radio Zimbabwe, we used to jointly have a musical programme called Africa Yotinhira with the late Deans Patrick Mutume. Mutume was based at Montrose Studios, Bulawayo, while I was...

Music fighting drugs in Epworth

By Fidelis Manyange THERE is a gentleman in Epworth who usually moves around playing gospel music on his mobile speaker while selling CDs. The Alick Macheso look-alike is upcoming gospel artiste Evangelist Tichaona Matende who is also the founder member of Kingdom of God Evangelist...

Mokoomba’s cultural capital

THE recently held 21st edition of the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) continues to be topical in various circles.  Important about the awards ceremony is that they make both the nominated and winners feel that their work and input in the industry is valued.  However, it...

Nobuntu: An all-female a cappella group

ONE of the important aspects of celebrating International Day of the Girl-Child on October 11 is that it gives the much needed focus for the world to address challenges girls face and also to promote girls’ empowerment. Empowerment of girls comes in different forms, but...

Andy Muridzo talented…but women may be his downfall

By Fidelis Manyange ANDREW NDLOVU, known in music circles as Andy Muridzo, is one of the most talented young artistes in the country.  Besides possessing a fine voice, he plays several instruments, with the mbira being his best.  The Uzumba-born artiste rose to fame with his hit...

Spare a thought for the girl-child

Jackline’s Rescue  By Jones Abban  Published By Merck Foundation (2021) GIRL-CHILD marriages remain a cause for concern in various parts of Africa. Due to poverty, beliefs and traditions, many societies in Africa continue to abuse young girls and perceive them as brides who can be exchanged for money...

Of musicians and collaborations

By Fidelis Manyange WHEN musicians come together for collaborations, fans are united and the fan base grows. In this article, I will talk of collaborations involving serious artistes characterised by depth and skill. Nowadays, some musicians just wake up to collaborate without putting much thought into their projects, taking fans for granted. Little known names...

Those behind the scenes

By Fidelis Manyange WHEN I was a presenter at Radio 2, now Radio Zimbabwe, every time I finished a shift I used to thank the engineer in the control room, the librarian who would have arranged my music and the driver who took me home. I...

Robert Kativhu dreams on

By Fidelis Manyange ‘REGAI vadiki vauye kwandiri’ his guitar seems to be saying as the children of the area mill around him each time he strums his guitar in practice.  He was still an infant when the Chegutu-based hitmaker Robson Banda, who fronted the New Black Eagles,...

Sungura music here to stay 

By Fidelis Manyange ZIMBABWEAN music genre called sungura or museve has stood the test of time after being threatened by several genres like Urban Grooves and Zimdancehall, among others, over the years.  The music, which is a fusion of jiti and Kanindo, was named sungura due...

Of band names…

By Fidelis Manyange ONCE upon a time, a local sungura band went on tour of one of the European countries. It held several shows.  The band is called Orchestra something.  The Europeans, upon seeing the posters bearing the band name, attended the show in their hundreds wishing to...

Culture to spur socio-economic development

RENOWNED Kenyan writer Ngugi Wa Thiong’o is one of African writers who gave up using the English language and resorted to writing in his native tongue. He argued that language is at the centre of the decolonisation exercise and unapologetically warned that: “Use English but...

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