Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Wonder Guchu
9 August 2008
Harare — FREDDIE Chimombe, the late James Chimombe's only surviving son who is now ill, claims that Harare businessman Joe Masters sold his instruments in 2004.
The 35-year-old father of five, who now lives in a plastic shack at Hopley Farm on the outskirts of Harare after losing ownership of his father's Cranborne house to his late disabled stepbrother Kudakwashe, admitted this week that he had hit hard times.
With his sight failing because of TB and bad living conditions, Freddie sways while sitting and drags his feet when he walks.
His mother, Marina Green, who stays in a big rumbling house in the Jerusalem section of Highfield also said his son's life was a constant pain to her.
But the frail and pitiful Freddie's major concern is the loss of instruments he inherited from his father.
"I am appealing to Masters as a businessman who has lots of money to just return my kit. That's the only thing my father left me," he said.
But on Wednesday Masters dismissed Freddie's utterances.
Although he confirmed that he was Freddie's promoter at one time, Masters refuted claims that he had sold the instruments.
"Anopenga mufana uyu. Problem yake ndeye kuti chidhakwa. I promoted him using my instruments. I fell out with him because of his drunkenness. I decided to take back my instruments when we parted ways," said Masters.
He said Freddie was free to institute legal proceedings against him if he felt his action was unlawful provided he has a good and profound basis to do so.
But Freddie insisted Masters had taken the instruments and sold them after they fell out over money in 2004.
He said Masters volunteered to promote him together with the now defunct rhumba group TP Nyekese that was led by the late Papa Jose.
"Masters sent one of my group members Simba Sheya to tell me that he was interested in promoting me. I went to see him at his garage along Simon Mazorodze Road.
"At the time, he was also promoting TP Nyekese and we started holding shows together. I had an incomplete kit and Masters had another incomplete kit. We used to combine pieces from both kits to come up with a full complement of instruments," claimed Freddie.
He said Masters later had a problem with TP Nyekese over money and the group left.
"I also had problems with Masters over money after a show we held in Murehwa. I decided to do my own things and approached him for the instruments that were kept at his garage. But he told me I had sold them to him," alleged Freddie.
He denied rumours that made rounds some years ago that he had sold the instruments.
"The only thing left by my father that I sold was the Toyota Hiace. I never sold any instruments," he said.
Freddie, who was at pains to defend himself, also said his stepfather had sold some speakers.
"I reported the matter to Machipisa Police Station and he was arrested but when he initially appeared in court, my mother said if he was jailed I would be her husband," he said.
After his father's death in 1990, Freddie took over Huchi Band but ran into problems with some senior members over money.
He then left and formed the Jemedza Crew with Sheya who played the lead guitar but things did not work out well and had to revert to using the name Huchi Band.
After staging some shows and earning a bit of money, he opened a bottle store and a general dealer's shop in Goromonzi but again this venture failed.
It was back to square one where he had to fight for royalties with band members and tried to revive his musical career but to no avail.
His mother Mrs Green who is now married to another man said she was not happy with her son's life.
"Nothing is going on well for Freddie. He now stays in a shack and it's hard to believe that he is James Chimombe's son," Mrs Green said.
She blamed her son's problems on various things among them musicians whom she said they looked after when James was still alive, inadequate royalties and the loss of the Craneborne home.
"We looked after a number of musicians but none of them is coming forward to help Freddie. If he approaches some of them, they are not keen to help him," she claimed.
Mrs Green said that only Oliver Mtukudzi who did a duet titled Iwe Neni with the late James Chimombe among all the musicians did his best to help Freddie.
Ironically, she said they once gave shelter to Michael Sekerani who now heads the Zimbabwe Union of Musicians and Clive Malunga.
She described Malunga who helped in erecting a tombstone for James Chimombe's grave as 'a son who used to share clothes with Freddie'.
"Freddie needs help to get back his father's house," she said.
The house in question -- number 59 Biddulph Road in Craneborne -- was given to Kudakwashe by the court while Freddie was made the heir to James Chimombe's other estate.
Kudakwashe who was born disabled died in 2000 and according to Mrs Green, his mother who is believed to be in the UK sold the house.
Although she said the court had ruled that Freddie should inherit the house when Kudakwashe died, the ruling which Freddie showed city.com says otherwise.
Freddie unlike his mother believes that his stepmother did not sell the house.
"I last checked with the Deeds Office in 2004 and found that the house is still in my father's name," he said although the ruling said the house had to be in Kudakwashe's name.
While Mr Sekerani on Thursday said he needed time to respond to the claims, Malunga was understood to be out of the country.
Mrs Green also said she was not happy with musicians who sing like James Chimombe or use his music without permission.
"I sometimes hear on the radio or see on TV James Chimombe's songs being sung by people I do not know. I have on several occasions asked Freddie if he had sold the songs or given permission for their use but he denies it," she said.
All the royalties, Mrs Green explained, should be paid to Freddie but nothing was coming his way.
Freddie still hopes that given some instruments, he can return to the stage.
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