TOP Zimbabwean musicians yesterday toured two Harare prisons, scouting for talent and identifying ways they can assist inmates nurture their musical talents.
WONAI MASVINGISE
The musicians who made the tour included dendera maestro Sulumani Chimbetu, sungura guru Nicholas Zakaria, gospel legend Machanic Manyeruke, zora music founder Leonard Zhakata, Ronnie Mudhindo, First Farai, Progress Chipfumo, Gift Amuli and Hubert Chigumura.
The tour at Chikurubi Maximum Security and Harare Central prisons was the brainchild of Zhakata who said he decided to take up the initiative after he was touched by the plight of incarcerated budding musicians on national television.
“I came up with the idea to bring musicians here after I discovered that there was a lot of hidden talent in our prisons, but they were lacking exposure as well as the necessary resources to bring out their talents,” Zhakata said.
Musicians spent the afternoon dancing and singing with the inmates. Convicted jazz crooner Dudu Manhenga, who is serving an 18-month sentence for culpable homicide, was among fellow female inmates at Chikurubi sporting her prison garb.
She, however, appeared unsettled by the presence of journalists and shied away from the cameras.
One inmate, Edmore Machokoto, a talented dancer, caught the eye of Chimbetu who offered him a job at his Orchestra Dendera Kings on release.
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Machokoto, a robber, is set to be released in February next year. Chimbetu also donated an acoustic guitar to the Prisons Band.
Zhakata pledged to donate a lead guitar, Zakaria a bass guitar and Manyeruke promised to donate two carpentry planes to Chikurubi prison’s workshop where inmates are taught various skills.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner- General Paradzai Zimondi also met and interacted with the musicians during the tour.
