Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Richmore Tera
12 July 2008
Harare — SUNGURA musician, Joseph Garakara of the "Idya banana" fame has revealed that he is diabetic.
This followed a diagnosis three months ago.
The 2006 Zima award winner and Nama nominee - who has lost two of his teeth - said he lost the molars during an operation that doctors were performing on him as part of his treatment.
"Yes, I was diagnosed of diabetes between the end of March and early April. I lost two of my teeth in the process. Diabetes can also affect the teeth.
"I had to cancel my shows because it (diabetes) was affecting me in that I had to follow treatments and tests that were very closely monitored.
"I had to be switched from one drug to the other and this could not permit me to be active musically, hence the break from live shows," he explained.
"Hurwere hungavanzwe here? It is nothing to hide because one can suddenly fall while performing on stage. It is something that just came unexpectedly."
Garakara believes he will be back on stage by the end of this month or early August.
"We are currently rehearsing for a new album - Chamboko Chewaya - and our fans should look forward to songs from the album during our shows when we resume."
Some of the tracks on the album include Chitema Chitema that denounces the xenophobic attacks that swept across neighbouring South Africa where many lives - including those of Zimbabweans - were lost.
Tadiwanashe is a song dedicated to his third child by the same name who was born in July last year, while Memory tells the story of a man who was ditched by his sweetheart.
In Zvinonaka, Garakara uses his humour to advise people that "sweet things come from sweat."
Garakara said the album is a fusion of sungura, rhumba, cha cha cha and Zim-traditional.
Garakara becomes the second high-profile musician in two years to be diagnosed of diabetes.
In 2006, Cephas Mashakada was hospitalised at Chitungwiza Central Hospital where one of his limbs had to be amputated due to the disease.
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