Published by the government of Zimbabwe
12 July 2007
Harare — WHEN American guitarist Banning Eyre interviewed the late Mbira music guru Ephat Mujuru in 2001, he was full of life.
Nobody could imagine this was Mujuru's last days because he seemed poised for a new chapter after teaming up with one promising Afro pop group -- The Eden Boys.
In early September that year, the group released an album entitled Museyamwa, which got a lot of rave reviews.
One local paper reviewed and hailed the album under the headline: "Mujuru back with a bang." Indeed, Mujuru seemed poised for a genuine comeback.
However, in less than a month, on October 5, Mujuru died in London, while travelling with his cousins Fradreck and Sam Mujuru.
The death of Mujuru could also have pronounced the death of the Eden Boys -- a promising group of five young artistes who had made their name with their debut album.
Today, the group is nowhere to be seen.
Working under the tutelage of Mujuru -- the Eden Boys -- currently based in Harare's high density suburb of Highfield, played Afro pop music and sent shock waves with their song "Makanganwa."
Before his demise, Mujuru had referred to "Makanganwa" as a revolutionary song adding that the choreography on the video was fantastic.
He said: "Their new album is very fantastic. The songs are nice and they have got a very popular song called "Makanganwa," which portrays the revolutionary images of Zimbabwe during the liberation war."
Many people will remember the group because of the song "Makanganwa" and its video, which depicted some typical liberation struggle scenarios. It also depicted the gruesome encounter that Zimbabwean citizens endured at the hands of the oppressive white colonialists.
Mr Tim Nyaude, then the group's manager, invited the late Mujuru to teach the Eden boys.
At first, Mujuru said in an interview with Eyre, the group was imitating other mbira groups but taught them their own type.
"The traditional music they were playing was like imitating. I said, 'No, let's not imitate. Let's be original.' You see? So we started working out.
"We made some shows . . . people were very happy. So we went to the recording and made a very nice album."
So touching were Mujuru's last words -- "Ah you know, the boys have got ideas, very fresh ideas they have. It's only that they don't have the exposure. They are locked in the wardrobe and they are saying, 'Please, let us out!"
But the words have died a natural death. The glamour and spirit of the Eden Boys seem to have died and buried together with the late Mujuru.
James "Jimmy Jimalo" Chiyangwa, who used to sponsor the group, says they can only be seen milling at his bottle store.
"They (Eden boys) are still there in Highfield. Ukanyatsovatsvaga pabhawa pangu unovawana ndopavanotambira," Chiyangwa said.
An official at Gramma Records said the five-member group that was led by George Chapwata was dismantled after they had lost sponsorship adding that the sponsor who used to provide them with instruments also stopped.
But are there any hopes of another scorcher that will surpass their 2001 hit? Do they need another Mujuru to release a second album?
Only time will tell.
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