AFTER many years operating as a lone ranger, Chamsom Boroma, who claims to be the offspring of the late great dendera music exponent Simon “Chopper” Chimbetu, has finally found comfort in the embrace of the other Chimbetus.
BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
With both Chopper and Boroma’s mother dead, the young man had an uphill task to prove that, indeed, he is a Chimbetu.
His uncle’s words were all that he had to back his claims and over the years, he had to peer into the Chimbetu clan like an outsider.
On August 12, 2012, Boroma — who has striking physical features and a dress sense similar to the other Chimbetus — had to watch his “siblings” stage the dendera festival in Chinhoyi in honour of their father.
He even spots a crew cut, that has become a Chimbetu trademark.
Sulumani, Allan, Tryson, Douglas and nephew, Richard Sakhala, all performed at the commemorative gig.
Popularly known as “the Forgotten Son”, Boroma recalled: “I only read about it in the newspapers that there was a festival meant to commemorate the life of my late father. I was not informed although I was obliged to be part of the commemorations since I’m a Chimbetu as well as a dendera musician. I wouldn’t go there without an invitation because I could have been chased away.”
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The 39-year-old musician said he has spent a lot of time trying to prove to the family and dendera fans that he was Chopper’s son.
His patience and tenacity seemed to have paid off, when the other Chimbetu’s started making overtures towards him.
At the launch of his eight-track album titled Tinochema Nawo, Boroma invited Allan, Tryson and Douglas, who all turned up for the event. Boroma said he was happy to have Allan and others around during the launch.
“Yes, it was not easy to be accepted. It was a process and in life, you meet those who can accept you, while others fail to do so. It happens not in the Chimbetu family only, but in other families as well. But blood is thicker than water,” he said.
Boroma has maintained the slow dendera beat and at most of his shows, he has been playing renditions by both Marxist and Orchestra Dendera Kings. He also named his band Orchestra Kings.
“I would like to thank my uncle, Allan. He graced the album launch. I was more excited by his presence than the launch. That was the first time he had attended my album launch. I was also honoured by Tryson and Douglas’ presence,” he said.
Boroma was raised by his mother, Jane Boroma, in Chishawasha. Although his mother always told him his father was a prominent musician, she never disclosed his identity.
It was only an uncle — Peter Boroma — who disclosed the paternity, following Jane’s death in February 2000.
In 1999, Boroma joined the G7 Commandos, a group headed by the late Naison.
After the death of Chopper, Boroma joined Dendera Kings in 2006 under the leadership of Allan, before branching out to form The Original Six Kings.
In 2011, a bitter wrangle erupted between him and Sulumani, over his claims that he was Chopper’s “love child”.
Boroma, however, said there was no bad blood between him and Sulu anymore.
“He even invited me to his Malbereign Studio and I went there with my manager. We enjoyed ourselves. It is only that he didn’t come to the launch because he was busy with something. We are in good books,” he said.
The current relationship with his biological family seems to be exciting the singer, as he has dumped the nickname “The Forgotten Son”.
Boroma has adopted the new tag, Aforomani, which he said was coined by his fans, after observing “how I command my boys when on stage”.
He has introduced three rhythm guitars to keep his dendera brand alive.
“If you listen to my music it is different from others’, but still in the same dendera railway. This is because I use three rhythm guitars, lead and sub lead guitars,” Boroma said.
He has released Ndotamba Nani (2008), Tagarira Dendera (2010), Mukwambo (2013), The Spirit Lives On (2014) Wrong Turn (2015), Comparable (2016) and the latest, Tinochema Navo (2017).
