Dark cloud hovers over Zim arts sector

In what can best be described as the darkest period in the country since the beginning of the year, the industry is still to come to terms with the loss of some of its doyens, who contributed immensely to the sector.

The whirlwind incidents that happened between 11 June and 4 July have numbed the arts sector, which suffered a similar fate last year following the deaths of several artists, among them Joyce Simeti and Clive Barangiro.

On 17 June, the country woke up to the news of the death of war veteran and singer Dick Chingaira, popularly known as Chinx. The legendary singer had been in and out of hospital battling cancer. He was 61.

A week before Chinx’s death, a rising dancehall chanter and artist, 22-year-old Faina Tanzwa, best known as Empress Fyna, died on 11 June after a short illness.

Ironically four months before her death, she released a single titled ‘Hanzi Ndashaya’ (They Say I’m Dead) in which she was dismissing a rumour about her death. Empress Fyna rose to fame when she collaborated with Kinnah on the song ‘Zimbo Flavour’ in 2014. One of her songs, ‘Zvangu Zvauya’, became a popular tune in the dancehall circles.

While the industry was still trying to come to terms with the death of the two, UK-based Zimbabwean filmmaker and comedian Anopa Makaka collapsed and died under unclear circumstances in Zambia on Monday.

Famed for the documentary Absolute Jiti, which he produced with Elton Mjanana, Makaka was also a comedian of repute, who worked on several local productions before moving to the UK. Makaka’s death was immediately followed by the death of the leader of The Cool Crooners, Abel Simometsi Sithole, who composed the popular song ‘Blue Sky’. Sithole died on Tuesday.

One of the founding members of the Harare MUMC Vabvuwi choir, Silas Majuru, also died in Harare last Friday. He was buried at the Glen Forest Cemetery on Tuesday. Two of Zimbabwe’s promising arts female journalists, Sharon Muguwu of the Daily News and Sophie Chese-Msowa from The Herald also died within the same period.

In a statement, Zimbabwe Business and Arts Hub (ZIBAH) chairperson Takemore Mazuruse said the arts sector had been robbed of professional players who contributed immensely to the country’s creative landscape.

“Death is a thief and it is indeed a sad period for the entire arts sector. As ZIBAH, we are greatly pained by the untimely passing on such talented artists,” Mazuruse said.

“We, however, take comfort in the fact that they all immensely contributed to the growth of local arts. ZIBAH is designed to promote excellence and productivity in local arts and business and we pray that the departed cadres will inspire us to continue doing more.”

This story was originally published in The Herald.