Zimbabwe’s Busi Ncube to aid flood victims

The floods, which are blamed on the El Niño weather phenomenon, have affected 36 Zimbabwean districts, prompting the government to declare a state national disaster. Some 251 people have died and 128 left injured by the floods, while about 100 000 lack access to safe drinking water in the affected areas.

“Busi will be going to Zimbabwe to play live gigs for her home fans later this year and wants to go and support the flood victims through doing gigs with her fellow Zimbabwean musicians,” a press statement from her management company said. “She will sell her CDs to the people who care about the situation and will need all the support to make sure she raises funds for the affected people in flood-prone areas.”

Ncube, who recently launched the eight-track album Usiko, is expected to be joined by local guitarist Hudson Simbarashe who features on songs such as ‘Umuzi Kababa’, ‘Awuwuwe’ ‘Thula Africa’ and ‘Mufaro’.  

It’s not yet confirmed where Ncube will be performing when she returns to Zimbabwe. With a music career that began in the 1980s, the former member of Afro-fusion group Illanga has released eight albums to date and performed at notable events such as the 1988 Human Rights Now! concert and the 2006 Mela Festival in Norway.

Ncube’s music has earned her respect in her home country with local artists engaging her in their projects. This saw her contributing to the all-star collaboration album Hupenyu Kumusha/Life at Home, which features distinguished Zimbabwean musicians Roger Mbambo, Adam Chisvo, Mashasha and Chiwoniso Maraire

On the activism front, Ncube joins Zimbabwean award-winning gospel musician Abraham Matuka who earlier this year took an initiative to raise funds to pay for 27 young offenders’ exam fees.