PROPHETIC Healing and Deliverance (PHD) leader Walter Magaya’s lieutenants on Thursday reminded music lovers at Dandaro Inn at the Exhibition Park that they may be churchmen, but can still beat the demon out of a drunk.
Silence Charumbira/Winstone Antonio
The group’s ire was drawn by a bogus pastor claiming to be a member of their church who rushed to the stage to give the opening prayer at Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria’s album launch.
In the opening stages of the ceremony to mark the launch of Madzibaba’s album Rumbidzo released at the end of last year, the master of ceremonies asked members of PHD to come and give the opening prayer.
A man identified as Evans Chitsaka then stormed onto the stage and introduced himself as Pastor Evans.
He went on to pray in comic fashion drawing giggles from the audience who were shocked by the pace at which he was saying the prayer.
As he left the stage he was apprehended by members of PHD led by Cuthbert Chitima.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The group of over 10 dragged him and assaulted him outside the venue.
“Who sent you? You are even drunk and you purport to be a member of PHD? If you do not answer me properly I will leave these guys to beat you up,” quizzed Chitima before the group indiscriminately slapped Chitsaka.
Chitima appeared to be labouring to control his group that kept mobbing Chitsaka.
“You guys should follow instructions, stop it,” Chitima chastised his apologetic group on realisation that the media was around. Chitsaka then went on to report the case at a police post located in the Exhibition Park complex.
NewsDay closely followed the proceedings. At the police post Chitsaka identified six of the members among them Chitima as the culprits.
Sadly this is not the first time that Magaya’s church members have shown a violent streak as last year his bouncers were reported to have assaulted a man in Mashonaland East.
Madzibaba, however, proved to be the last of a rare breed that was once responsible for the entertainment of Zimbabweans.
The launch in many regards became the best of numerous others that have in fact proven to be drab affairs.
From the attendance to the show of unity that musicians of different genres showed, it was just a marvel to see the event roll.
First it was Alick Macheso who qualified in the initial phases to be named a drama “queen” with antics that appeared poised to attract attention.
Pacing up and down the stage area and at one time attempting to disarm the Khiama Boys’ bassist before Madzibaba stopped him, Macheso was determined to steal the thunder.
He was later to be invited on stage to perform tracks like Mabvi nemagokora among many other hits.
For close to an hour, they performed with the several musicians that thronged the venue including Sulumani Chimbetu, Somandla Ndebele, Morgan Dembo, Romeo Gasa, Shiga Shiga, Roki and Soul Jah Love among others joining in for a remixed medley much to the delight of the revellers.
With every musician throwing in a few lines of a popular song, it was pure joy for the audience.
It was a rare showing of camaraderie that Macheso actually handed the bass guitar to Gasa who has often been viewed as a threat to the sungura icon’s bass antics.
Gasa did wow the fans, but Macheso was to show him who his big daddy was playing alongside Zakaria with his legendary guitar fusing with new lines from unreleased material.
That National Arts Council of Zimbabwe director Elvas Mari called Madzibaba a professor and sealed the deal as he indeed reminded many of the good old days of untainted sungura.
Also in attendance were promoters Esau Mupfumi, Lawrence Chinoperekwei, Beny Nyandoro of Jive Zimbabwe and Josh Hozheri among others.
Madzibaba’s 26th album oozes brilliance as it evokes many memories. What remains a challenge is the marketing side as record labels have settled on blaming piracy for their lack of innovation.
