Harare — FORMER Kasongo band member Knowledge Kunenyati says he is not ashamed to talk about his "dirty" past, insisting that coming out in the open will help society and fellow musicians follow suit.

Kunenyati who is now an elder with Zaoga FIF Church of Unit M, Seke, in Chitungwiza said he was once of loose morals and had multiple sex partners during their shows as Kasongo Band before he became a born-again Christian in 1999.

The artiste was speaking following the release of his second gospel album titled Kutendeuka Nekudzikinurwa, by ZMC, last week. The album is his second effort after his debut project Kudanwa that he did five years ago failed to make a mark.

"Many of my band members and fellow musicians have died owing to immorality during shows. I have come through it all and I thank God for showing me the light because I am still alive having repented.

"This is exactly what my new album is all about," he said. He added: "I want people to know that I am still alive and they should have faith in God in order to be redeemed from their evil ways."

As a result, Kunenyati says he has renamed his band Kasongo Gospel since he was now strictly into that genre. The title track, Kutendeuka Nekudzikinurwa, is about people who have been transformed and who now believe in God.

Much of it is however, based on one of his popular songs Handishaye Narutsoka that earned him fame before becoming a Christian. Rudzikinuro also talks about Redemption, while Tora Jesu carries a similar message.

Plans were underway to shoot videos of the eight-track album. In 2007, the artiste planned a comeback to mainstream music when he staged shows with the Charambas in Chitungwiza, Chinhoyi and other places, before he started concentrating on his church work.

To those not in the know, Kunenyati worked for many years as the late "Mukoma" Ketai Muchawaya and Marko Sibanda's partner at Kasongo Band, where they released a string of hits together under Ketai's leadership.

He then took over the reins of the band in the late 1980s when Ketai left. Kunenyati went on to release hits such as Handishaye NaRutsoka, Pasipoti, Gejo and Maisiri Muvhimi.