Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Patience Nyangove
19 July 2008
Harare — VETERAN sungura musician, Nicholas "Madzibaba" Zakaria has called on the authorities at Chitungwiza Central Hospital to come up with an easy identification formula, which will ensure that his band members and their families access free treatment.
Madzibaba is one of the star performers billed to feature at the annual Chitungwiza Hospital benefit concert together with Alick Macheso, Hosiah Chipanga, Cephas Mashakada and Baba Mechanic Manyeruke.
The concert, to be held next Saturday, is aimed at raising an estimated $100 trillion to help the hospital buy food and drugs for patients.
Madzibaba said there is an arrangement with Chitungwiza Central Hospital where they do the fund- raising show free of charge and then get free treatment in return.
But he feels it would be difficult for his band members to enjoy this arrangement, as hospital workers do not know them.
"The hospital authorities said if we are to perform at the concert we would do it for free because they can't give us money.
"They said we will access free treatment at the health institution but then our main obstacle is we don't have any identification documents that when we get to the hospital any member of staff there easily identifies us with.
"For myself it's ok because I am known but for my family and band members some of them are not known.
"I will definitely be part of the Chitungwiza Central Hospital Benefit Concert despite that there are some outstanding issues.
"I will not refuse because I stay in Chitungwiza, I will be playing some of my new songs from my forthcoming album due to be released this year. I am promising fireworks to my legions of fans out there and they should come out in full force," Madzibaba said.
However, the hospital's chief executive officer Dr Obadiah Moyo said it was not possible to issue out identity documents to band members, as some of them were session musicians who changed bands almost weekly.
"We've got an arrangement with these musicians and their band members so that they access free health treatment but we can not issue out identity documents to band members because some of them change bands regularly," Dr Moyo said.
Meanwhile, Macheso's manager William Tsandukwa said Orchestra Mberikwazvo had no problems performing for free as it was a worthy cause meant to benefit the Chitungwiza community.
"We are dedicating this performance to our multitude of fans in Chitungwiza. Despite the fact that we are going to make a loss in staging this show we are very happy to help Chitungwiza Central Hospital and we are extending our services unconditionally.
"Macheso is doing it for the people and also because management at the hospital are very transparent last year they invited us there and showed us audited accounts of how they used the proceeds they got from the last benefit show.
"Mashakada is a perfect example. Look how the hospital helped him out when he got ill. Mashakada was helped a lot by that hospital in time of need," Tsandukwa said.
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