Published by the government of Zimbabwe
2 February 2008
Harare — The decision by sungura musician Tongai Moyo to go public about his illness has been met with mixed reactions.
It seems the majority of people, who have given their views on the issue, believe that Tongai was exemplary by revealing his exact illness at a time his fans were speculating on what might have hit him.
There have been calls for public figures to disclose virtually everything about their lives, including health issues, and that is exactly what Tongai did last month by telling the whole world that he was suffering from a cancer known as Non Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Unfortunately, there is a section of the community that has decided to use that information to spread rumours of Tongai's death.
A number of people could be heard discussing Tongai's alleged death yet the Kwekwe-based musician was featuring at a boozers' match on Saturday after fully recovering from the effects of chemotherapy.
Sadly this will, no doubt, discourage other public figures from going public about their health and other private issues as it will be used against them at every given opportunity.
If it was possible, Tongai would probably come up with a sungura version of the song "Gomba Remarara" by Leonard "Karikoga" Zhakata, one of the country's leading musicians.
Below are the lyrics of the song:
Uri kunzunzutira wasarira, kwakaenda vamwe kunopira zvichemo,
Nguva yapera nhai iwe,
Uchandotambirirwa here zvichemo zvako
Rakasvika kwandiri shoko remumwe mambo,
Ndiye ega anogamuchira zvichemo zvako,
Paunochemedzwa iye anouya okunyaradza,
Paunosungikana, iye ano uya onyevenutsa,
Rega ndikupewo muenzaniso wemazvokwadi
Vamwe vakaribika zano, huhuhu, rikave mbodza
Vakange vatotara magumo eupenyu hwangu,
Vakange vatondicherera rinda ndiri mupenyu
Asi nenyasha dzake zvakakovera, umambo uyu (2)
Zvino vachaiseyi rinda riya wakomana, baba vaka ramba, ishe wakaramba
Zvino richave gomba remarara, rinda riya baba wakaramba
Zvino richave gomba remarara, rinda riye, ravo richauya
Zvino richave gomba remarara, rinda riyeeee.
Hauna simba neupenyu hwako hama yangu
Iwe hauna simba neupenyu hwangu usazvinyepere
Ini handina simba neupenyu hwangu ndisazvinyepere
Tose hatina simba neupenyu hwedu tisazvinyepere
Saka nyarara kuchema kani umwe wangu, wasuruwareiko
Nyarara kuchema kani umwe wangu, wanetswa neiko
Nyarara kuchema kani, inzwa, inzwa
Kwekuturia kuriko, kuriko, kuriko kwekuturira
Kwekuturira kuriko, nyangwe zvako, kapi, zvako kanokunetsa
Kwekuturira kuriko.
l Zhakata composed this song around 1996-7 in the wake of rumours that he had died. This is a time when Zhakata was rated the top artiste in the country.
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