Harare — WITH the reduction of prices under the current clampdown, people have been calling on veteran musician Hosiah Chipanga to descend from the mountain where he had gone into hiding.

This comes from one of his songs in which he sings:

"Mai mwana ndafunga zano kuti ndivakire imba pamusoro pegomo

Zvinhu zvadhura . . .

Kana vachida kukwidza pamusoro pedu vanotanga vakwira mundege

Ndaramba kujairirwa mai vemwana

Zvinhu zvadhura."

Chipanga says the pricing system in the country had come to a critical level -- it was now affecting him despite moving to the top of the mountain.

"I receive at least 10 messages a day with people telling me to descend from the mountain.

"I am happy that people can realise the prophecies that I had talked about some three years ago but no one took heed," said Chipanga who has since relocated to Chitungwiza from his Mutare base, which, ironically, is surrounded by mountains.

"My prophecies are like those of Noah in the Bible who urged people to build the Ark but no one listened to him. God will certainly punish his people some day," Chipanga said.

He set aside some time to answer his fans' questions ranging from his "controversial life", music and his "prophecies" which he says are now being fulfilled.

"When I sang kuenda kubhawa hazvireve kuti wakaipa, kuenda kuchechi hazvireve kuti wakanaka I was giving the nation some important prophecies but people quickly dismissed me as a worshipper of the devil.

"Now things are beginning to unfold as bishops and pastors are being implicated in one controversy after another.

"The question nowadays should be ndibishop kanapastor vebhawa ripi as some of them have humiliated the church more than the drunkards have done to the bar," said Chipanga.

Question: Do you earn a living from music or you do something else?

Answer: Music is not my career but a "ladder" to get to God's job to teach the world of God's desires for the country and the world at large. For the past 26 years I have been "preaching God's word through music" save for only six months where I worked for a shoelace-manufacturing firm in Mutare.

What type of music do you play?

It's difficult to say which type of music I play. But what I do know is that I preach God's word through music, but people are taking long to understand me just as in the time of Noah when he called on people to build God's Ark.

I would be better understood addressing a rally or teaching, but my students are turning a deaf ear -- the students also want to teach yet they do not have God's plan.

Are you a politician?

Answer: I am not an earthly politician but heavenly politician. People misconstrue heavenly politics with earthly politics.

When I sing that people should not sell water I would be taking it as morally wrong by biblical standards -- it is God-given but people might think that it is earthly politics.

A scheme should be put in place towards buying chemicals for purifying water so that all people have access to it since it is a birthright.

Surprisingly, water is not coming to our homes -- why can't we also like other commodities have water at wholesale prices tinotora tega kudam because it has become beyond the reach of many.

On land when I sang Ivhu Redu Nderipi, I was trying to portray that it is also a God-given right which everyone should access but what is surprising is that it is being sold everywhere.

My prophecy has it that land and water preceded people, so it is the land that was created by God that owns people.

I wanted to build God's altar for worship purposes only to be told that the land is for sale.

God urged people to be "fruitful and multiply" and all have access to land asi tava kumhanyira Mwari pamberi sezvinonzi tisu takamupa mameasurements enyika yese. What if I God decides to extend the country when you get to a point that you have filled the earth?

In the Bible it is also written that father will rise against son, so when I sang the song Sahwira Wenyika that says Zanu-PF ndibaba wangu, MDC ndimukoma wangu I was referring to the prophecy in the Bible.

Foreigners and professors are not the solution to our own problems. It's up to us as Zimbabweans to solve our own problems. Reflecting on the scriptures so that people see the prophecies that were written can resolve our problems.

Is it true that Chipanga is a war veteran?

I went to Mozambique in 1976 intending to join liberation fighters but on arrival we were told by one Cde Clever Manema that they were having food shortages and was instructed to return when the food supply situation improved.

On September 13, 1976 I was arrested and taken to Cabesa de Vehnyl prison where I spent eight months while they carried out their vetting procedures.

While in jail I began the mission of God and wrote a book called Kuuya Kwemweya Mutsvene which I passed on to the late James Chikerema soon after independence.

Do you borrow your dances from somewhere?

I was born a dancer. I create my own dances.

Why did you change the name of your band?

Answer: I believe that it is an insult to God to shun the way you were created by God imitating other cultures. Haufi wakanzwa njiva ichirira sehanga kana yavakuita sehanga then there is a problem.

I wanted to change the name of the band from Broadway Sounds to Vaparidzi Veshoko long back but I could not because I was contracted to a local record label. I changed after the expiry of the contract.

How do you feel when Zobha criticises you for what he describes as a poor dress sense?

Zobha is one of my biggest fans and/or my greatest admirer because he is so concerned about me that he makes such observations.

Kana munhu achiona chipikiri chiri pasi pebhutsu pangu then that person should be close to me. The bottom line is Zobha admires me.

Do you still live in Mutare?

Similar question: Why is it that Chipanga you are deserting your hometown Mutare? - Brian Kapfumvuti (email).

I now have two homes -- one in Mutare and another here in Chitungwiza.

The main reason why I came to Chitungwiza is that I wanted to be closer to the city where I have most of my shows.

Why do you wear apostolic church regalia?

I was born and bred in the Johanne Marange church where I was baptised Hosiah.

When I was released from prison in Mozambique, I bought my apostolic regalia with the aim of spreading the word of God.

I have my own church, which is "advanced postori" teaching about the Heavenly Kingdom, but people misconstrue it as politics.

This "advanced postori" values praying and the welfare of people. Going to church is the theoretical part of Christianity and helping others materially is the practical aspects of "advanced positori."

How was the song Gushungo received?

Gushungo lifted me some steps up the ladder. As you can see I always sing the truth that the President (Cde Robert Mugabe) is often being denied.

The song was meant to enlighten the President on what was happening on the ground. For example, some people abuse our national resources but shift the blame to VaMugabe.

Kana VaMugabe vakandipa nguva yekumbovaudza zvirikuitika muno zvavanowanzirwa nemashefu chimwe chikamu chinobatsirika.

I ended up singing Gushungo telling him of the ills in the society he was being denied access to and I will keep on singing the truth.

What was the message in Ndafunga Zano?

The song was self-explanatory as it reflected on uncontrolled price hikes but now people see my prophecies as they begin to unfold.

The price increases had gone haywire to the extent of affecting "ini ndainge ndatizira mugomo but I am happy kuti zvirikugadzirisika."

Your latest album carries the song Pharoah and my question is who is this man and is he from the Bible or from this world? -- Brian Kapfumvuti.

Pharaoh is an oppressor! If you refer to the Bible you will find that the Israelites under Moses ran away from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan.

It is imperative to note that on the way they met all sorts of obstacles such as hunger and the (Red) Sea they were supposed to cross.

It was during these difficult times that some demanded that Moses take them back to Egypt where they had previously worked as slaves.

Unoziva iwe vaiti vasangana nedambudziko woti "Tidzorere tinobatsira Pharaoh pane kufa nenzara".

President Mugabe is in the situation of Moses where his detractors are saying he should return the country to the colonial masters (Pharaoh).

The colonial masters have even campaigned against our manna -- the diamonds and land redistribution.

Just like God who gave the Israelites manna, Nehanda the spirit medium gave Zimbabweans diamonds and gold for survival.

VaMugabe is leading the country to economic independence but Pharaoh is still in hot pursuit.

Are you married?

I am happily married to Maina Mpofu and we have three children, namely Donewell, Definite Paidamoyo and Delight.

But very soon I will be renaming my children with Shona names, as I have to be proud of my God-given language.

Do you drink beer?

I used to drink before I was born again. But the fact that I don't take alcohol has nothing to do with my church beliefs. Actually, I have chosen not to drink for the same reasons people drink.

I sang that Kuenda kubhawa hazvireve wakaipa, kuenda kuchechi hazvirevi wakanaka. The first miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding at Cana where he changed water to wine.

It shows that alcohol has some importance. If there was no beer in this world then there would have been endless wars because if there is no beer people face the truth but beer makes them forget their ills.

Beer is a pain stopper.

Why don't you put on suits?

Ndipo pamusha padzo sutu pano. But because of my work as a preacher and musician I have little time for suits.

In 2004 you were nominated for the Best Sungura award? Do you play sungura or gospel music?

Listeners are free to classify our music into different categories. I am, however, not concerned about the type of music I play, but spreading the word of God through music.

I am also not worried about instrumentation, as it is only a vehicle for transmitting my prophecies.

How far did you go with your education?

I got up to Standard 3. I grew up in an apostolic sect family who did not value education.

I am, however, beginning to believe that mapositori were right not to send their children to school, nokuti zvikoro zvatiparadzira nyika. Mapositori tinongodzidza nezvaMwari chete.

Even if I got to Standard 3, I am well equipped to even have a discussion naBaba (George) Bush naBlair without any interpreter.

Who do you think is the best musician to come out of Zimbabwe?

The late Leonard Dembo was the best singer while the late Chamunorwa Nebeta was the best writer. Nebeta is an unsung hero; his music was pregnant with meaning.

 How many albums do you have?

I have 19.

Which is your best album and why?

The album is yet to come as I am maturing with age like wine as people now begin to understand my prophecies.

Which is your best song?

Chakabaya Chikatyokera (Kwachu Kwachu). It is laden with meaning.

What properties do you own?

Do you still possess that 504 pick-up truck (blue in colour)? -- Brian Kapfumvuti "Wasu", Harare.

Isu tiri vekuhuruva. I only have my "bow and arrow I use for hunting" (referring to the PA system that amplifies his music).

I have a house in Dangamvura Area 16, a Peugeot 404 and this Nissan Hardbody 2.7D.

We are not tycoons, but God is providing.

Can you tell us briefly about yourself?

I was born in 1952 in Marange, where I was nurtured with a strong passion for reconciling people with God through charity work.

Chipanga was born in a religious family yet he, like many of his peers, used to play his banjo while herding cattle and whenever he returned home he became a completely different character since his church considered secular music taboo.

When he went to Mutare he was soon earning a living by dancing in beerhalls before venturing into music.