Harare — Spense Khumulani - the Utakataka Express bassist - missed Tongai Moyo's recent tour of the United Kingdom because he did not have a passport.

Takauya Karikodzi, who normally plays second fiddle to Khumulani during live shows on home soil, filled the vacancy. Ironically, it is Karikodzi who normally accompanies Dhewa for international shows yet he is not given enough exposure during Utakataka Express's shows on home soil.

In an interview, Khumulani said he was not a bitter man after being left for the tour of the Queendom. "I finally got the passport recently but it was issued too late as the work permits and visas for the rest of the band had been processed. "Murungu (Tongai Moyo) paakaendesa mazita, rangu akarisiya nokuti ndakangandisina passport but ikozvino ndiri kufara nokuti ndave naro. "I know that my personal fans in the UK had wanted to see me play live but there is always another time for that. I hope my time will certainly come now that I have been issued with the document that has given me some sleepless nights. "I have no hard feelings that I did not accompany the rest of the band and I hope the one standing in my place would do a sterling job.

"In fact, we work as a team and when someone is not there, he should be replaced for the success of the company and I can safely say that at Utakataka Express we complement each as a professional band," he said. Affectionately known as the Bolt Cutter, Khumulani is the man at the core of the feud between sungura giants Dhewa Moyo and Alick "Borrowdale" Macheso. Macheso has accused Khumulani, who was once a member of Macheso's Orchestra Mberikwazvo, of taking his (Macheso's) bass arrangements to Tongai Moyo and other sungura artistes.

Khumulani has in the past worked as a session bassist for sungura artistes recording albums.