By Fred Zindi I had the opportunity to have coffee with Matthew Kaunda at Grab & Go in Borrowdale last week. I had not seen him for over 20 years.
Despite the rumours that were doing the rounds in late 2007 that he was ill or dead, he looked healthy and full of life.
We started talking about music and this conversation left me astounded as to why such a promising and great musician had suddenly stopped singing.
I opened up the conversation by asking him about his family history and lineage. I was impressed to hear that he had links to the late Zambian president, Kenneth Kaunda. He told me that his grandfather and Kenneth were brothers. They originally came from Kota Kota in Malawi’s Nkata Bay.
Matthew Kaunda aka Mateo, born on April 10, 1969 at Morgenster Hospital in Masvingo is probably one of the most underrated musicians in Zimbabwe.
He grew up in Kambuzuma Section 3 in Harare where he attended Wadzanayi Primary School before moving to Haig Park in Mabelreign. After that, he completed secondary education at Prince Edward School before he did his first recording in the late 1990s. He churned out many hits which included Pamuhacha, Asambe Africa and Waenda
Keep Reading
- 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
With a promising future in music, Mateo suddenly cut off from the music scene. Speculation was rife. Some people said that he was ill while others speculated that he had hit the hard times.
According to reports that came out at the time, Mateo is said to have said that his time in music was wasted years in pursuit of material wealth.
When I asked him to verify such rumours, he told me that there was no truth to these. He had seen a different vision and found God and decided to seek prayer through the Jehovah’s Witnesses where he is an elder in the church.
He moved to Domboshava to assist in his father’s construction business. There he found happiness with his wife, Melania and three children Michelle, Michael and Monique. He is a now a grandfather and said his first grandson is the family’s real source of joy and inspiration.
Mateo said people who did not understand his new way of life started circulating rumours that he had suffered a mental breakdown and that he was no longer himself.
“I was labelled a mad man at some point, but I understand it because people were trying to come to terms with my new life of faith, which most artistes do not take seriously,” he said.
“I did not abandon music because I had run out of lyrics or had faded away. No, I met Jesus Christ and I discovered a completely new world with pure joy and comfort,” Mateo said.
“Life in the arts industry is not real. People make you a ‘god’ and because of ego, you will think you are a ‘god’, but they will be ushering you to hell,” he added.
Kaunda describes hell not as a place of torment and punishment in the afterlife according to many mythological, folklore and religious traditions, but as a grave or tomb according to his Biblical belief.
Mateo warned musicians against heeding the call of the world to fame and said they should reflect on how they wished to be remembered by the Creator and their peers.
“Most upcoming artistes must shun drugs and promiscuity and think deeply about what kind of reputation they want to leave behind,” he said.
He said he had fond memories of the artistes he worked with in the past, whom he still holds dear to his heart. These include Albert Nyathi (with whom he collaborated on Senze Nina), Patience Musa, Willom Tight and Fortune Mparutsa.
Recently, Mateo was caught in the studio recording with Mokoomba’s Trust Samende under the Meet ’n’ Jam Episode where he gave his soulful voice to the song Waenda with three backing singers.
I asked him if that means he is coming back into music. His response was rather vague. He told me that he is currently looking for someone to collaborate with.
Mateo is definitely someone Zimbabwe, if not the entire world, would like to listen to again.
Nyasha Chingono, an entertainment reporter, recently reported on events surrounding Mateo and revealed his intentions for the future as follows:
“After a 15-year-hiatus, Mateo resurfaced on the music scene with KulchaHouz, led by guitarist Trust Samende. Despite his appearance on Meet “N” Jam, which received rave reviews, Mateo still enjoys his quiet life in Domboshava.“I will not be returning to active music, but I will be selective of the platforms I sing in,” he said.
According to Mateo, “I enjoyed performing my songs again. After prayerfully considering Trust’s proposal, I agreed to record. He is a professional,” Mateo recounted his experience at KulchaHouz.
On KulchaHouz Mateo performed hits like Pamuhacha, Ndiripano and Waenda.
The episode of Meet ‘N’ Jam sent music lovers on memory lane.
Some thought he was dead, but all agreed that the soulful Mateo’s vocals are still as enchanting asin the 90s when he held the microphone for the first time. Many comments about the Meet ‘N’ Jam session are pouring in:
Clive Mono Mukundu shares his experiences regarding Mateo in his facebook post:
”When the late Jabu Kanyile first came to Zimbabwe, he requested to see Mateo and Willom Tight. He had heard their music and was greatly impressed. I asked Willom about the story and he told me that the first thing that Jabu said was (paraphrasing) “But you are still kids, yet you play so wonderful mature music”…
It was the days of Mateo and Friends when the album Asambe Africa was a hit with Patience Musa and Willom Tight as part of the friends .”
Brian Zulu adds: “Some 21 or so years ago I met Matthew Kaunda better known as Mateo in the then Jazz 105 and I was in awe of the man! I was like this is the guy who sang Pamuhacha! I went to him and asked what’s next? And he said he was quitting music to manage his father’s construction business. Naturally I told him to f… off. Lovely to see he is still going strong and still has the voice to belt out his classics. Enough love to Trust Samende for bringing the man through to the music scene again.”
Joe Hussein, a former Radio 3 DJ also comments:
“There has never been a Zim lovington as organic as MATEO’s ‘Pamuhacha’, not since Brian Rusike’s ‘85 jam ‘RuvaRangu’ ! Lifted off the album ‘Impressions Of Africa’, and 23 years on,’Mathew Kaunda’s ‘Pamuhacha’, still enjoys pride of place in my vast music collection!
Mateo’s friend, musician-cum-radio DJ, Patience Musa, who has also quit ZiFM in February this year to join BancABC as their digital marketing, public relations and communications manager under the marketing department said: “Although the music industry has been robbed of Mateo, I am happy for him because he has chosen this path. Sometimes as individuals we must choose paths which make us happy. The man was and still is a star. He produced timeless music which defined us as Africans and Zimbabweans in particular.”
She said she had always marvelled at his musical prowess and creativity and wished him well in his new life.
At 53, Mateo now looks back at the time he spent in music as wasted years, but is happy that his life has taken a new turn.
Mateo said he has found real joy and purpose in his new life after his decision to hang up the guitar.
What I know for certain is the fact that when music enters your blood, it will never go away. We will hear Mateo’s new songs again once he has found someone to collaborate with. It is a matter of time.
- Feedback: frezindi@gmail.com