Let The Music Play On

A lot has been said about the fact that the gospel singer Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave has fallen through the cracks simply because she has had a collaboration with Killer T for their blockbuster disc 'Vanondibatsirana'.

Let The Music Play On

Most of the flack has emanated from so-called Christians,who fail to grasp the fact that Fungisai has to evolve and try out other musical genres in her journey of discovery.Tuku has done it in the past,dabbled in Gospel grooves in an endevour to push himself and create a wider appeal.So instead of condemning her and throwing brick-bats at her, the musical fans should embrace her and applaud her courage to set out of her comfort zone.It takes a lot of courage and conviction to do this.

Quite a lot of popular female artists have their roots in gospel music but that does not mean that is the only type of music they should sing.The sad thing is that most of the critics would want us to believe that they are without sin.If Fungisai's sin is that she is singing popular music as a way of putting food on her table ,then let the music play on.One other detail that the so called arm-chair critics are failing to acknowledge id the favour with which the song has curried in the non-gospel crowd.

My honest opinion is that Fungisai is an artist and should not allow anyone try and box her,she should do that which makes her happy both artistically and in the way she dresses [there are some out there who would want her to dress like Maimufundisi]the sad truth is that she is a singer of gospel songs but she is definitely not an ordained priest

Chitungwiza Residents Up In Arms Over Rate Increase

A meeting called by the Municipal of Chitungwiza bigwigs for the residents of Zengeza 1 degenerated into chaos as they heard that the Council was proposing a rate increase.

Chitungwiza Residents Up In Arms Over Rate Increase

Residents were not happy with the current service delivery in the town.Water is only available two days a week from the household taps.In recent weeks even this has not been the case as residents had to endure a week without supplies.On the days when water is available, the quality leaves a lot to be desired.It is so poor that it is not fit for drinking or cooking but because residents do not have any alternative they have to drink this glorified mud with straight faces.

Apart from this the unavailability of refuse bags, uncollected refuse that gets dumped on roadsides as well as the deplorable state of the town's roads incensed residents to the extend that one gentleman vowed that until there was a marked improvement in the quality of service delivery,then he was not going to pay a cent to the Municipal Council.

Some residents made their ire felt about the fact that  the Council had hired space to hold the meeting at a private church instead of utilizing a Council hall at St Mary's shopping centre.

No resolution was made however as the church owners arrived and indicated that they also wanted to hold their own meeting.Clearly round 1 belonged to the residents as the delegation from Council did not have any answers to various questions asked by the irate residents.

Chitungwiza Residents Fall Prey To Water-meter Thieves,Again

Residents of the Chitungwiza suburb of Zengeza1 in Rusvingo road had their water-meters stolen.This has now become endemic.

Chitungwiza Residents Fall Prey To Water-meter Thieves Again

In an event that looks like a military operation,the thieves alternate the areas they strike and remove the meters at a different location every week.It is alleged that they perform their nefarious deeds very early in the morning around three and four o'clock. The situation is very bad for the residence since they have to replace the stolen meters and the Town council charges them for  re-installing the meters.

Those in the know suggest the trade in stolen water-meters is being fed by the flourishing home industries where cheap coffins are made as the brass from the meters is melted down to form the handles.It is my humble opinion that these acts can be nipped in the bud by forcing the coffin builders to show prove of purchase of any handles they may posses.Regular sweeps by the law enforcement officers will definitely put paid to this scourge.

Alternatively,residents could form neighbourhood watch committees to patrol their streets and stop and question any people acting suspiciously.I once lived in a community where this was implemented,the improvement in safety and security after a very short time was amazing.

The Different Faces of Harare

Harare has more than one face.A venture I have recently been involved in takes me to different parts of Harare; the leafy Northern suburbs of Mount Pleasant, Mandara and Borrowdale.

The Different Faces Of Harare

What I saw there was an eye-opener.The life and atmosphere in the Town of Chitungwiza where I live is a far cry from the suburbs mentioned above.The difference is so enormous one would be forgiven for thinking one was in a foreign country.Whilst there might be some pot-holes in line with the general decline in the economic climate prevailing in the country,on the whole streets in the Northern suburbs are better maintained.One can see the effort being made to keep up appearances.The motor vehicles are sleeker and well maintained.

Sam Levy's Village is like a fairy tale poster for a Christmas card.The shops are beautiful,full of various types of merchandise,one can easily see that the clientele being catered for is affluent.Most shops are air-conditioned in contrast to the shops on the other side of the economic divide.Living in the high density areas one can be led into a false belief that whites have left the country en mass,but they are there.One just has to go to places like Sam Levy's Village to see the proof.

It is politically correct right now to regard this country as belonging to black people.The venture we are involved in to a large extend depends on people with extra cash and the leafy affluent suburbs is where the money is.

Just the outside appearance as well as the size of the residential stands attest to the wealth of the people who live here.Surely if people in the people in the high density suburbs took pride in their surroundings and stopped wining and whinging about their situation being difficult, a lot could change in these areas.

Gratitude.

As the year draws to a close,one cannot help but reflect on the that is reaching its tail end and be thankful of the grace that the Almighty has bestowed on one,

Gratitude

There are also lots of people without whose support and goodwill the road travelled could have been impossible to navigate.Mr E.R.G,whose wisdom seems to grow in leaps and bounds.

Mr A.K. Mutambara, whose vision and drive this blog and many other ventures would have been stillborn.That chance meeting 29 years ago has blossomed into this worthwhile friendship.It is truly wonderful;l the way you selflessly give of your time and resources.

Mhofu,my sounding board.No matter how wacky my ideas maybe sometimes,you still manage to make sense of them.You are one in a million ,the younger brother I never had.Continue to make the great strides.

Mr Gumbo,entrepreneur extraordinaire,you are an inspiration and the big brother I have always looked up to.Even though you cry that the strength is gone but what you have started ;younger ,stronger bodies will take over and finish.

My two sisters,I have said it before and I will say it again ,I value your input.I appreciate all you have done .Alice and I will forever be indebted to you .Oh how wonderful and mature she has turned out to be ,thanks largely to your guidance ,generosity and perseverance.

R.K.G,you mean the world  to me.You know it,I know it.Let me not flog the proverbial dead horse.Needless to say you are one of the most important people in my life.

The crazy gang,my nephews,nieces and their sons and daughters.I love you guys to bits ,all except Ashas,you are too wicked for my liking.Tall nutty professor,I am humbled.You are making the right waves.Keep on blazing those trails.Mambo,what I have learnt from you this year is priceless.Then there is the Steelman,keep on keeping on monna.

My granddaughters,whose arrival made me realise how old I am.Hope to be around to spoil you rotten and you will give your parents a tough time.Forgive an old man some flippancy.This grandad will brock no ill mannered grandchildren!

Last but not least, my Lesotho posse; Malisebo,Retsepile,Mohai,Rosa,Mangubeni,Bandile you rogue,Mr Kasasa,Mami,Khakha and all the various people who made my stay there easy and worthwhile.My extended Gwangwara clan.I love you all.

My sister from another mother,in TZ,your support,counsel and the lengthy discussions we had,I know you are just on the other side of my mobile.

SaTupiri,you are one in a million.

To one and all A Merry Christmas and A Prosperous 2016

Embracing One's Cellulite

Most Basotho women are an African man's dream;full bodied, light in complexion and they love their food.

Embracing One's Cellulite

What I personally loved was their openness.They can discuss  anything and most are not afraid to argue their point.Most modern women will go on weight watching ventures ,were they starve themselves to conform to the dictates of the Media ;print and electronic. Not the typical Mosotho cause she will tell you that she is beautiful,'kemotle kenale li hips' loosely translated to mean I am beautiful because I have bulging hips.As we all know most of the heaviness around a lady's hips ,stomach and butt are a result of cellulite.

The typical Sesotho diet of 'motooho' a sour thick porridge brewed from ground sorghum flour which is boiled and allowed to cool then drunk either in the morning or during the day together with wheat bread prepared the traditional way maybe the source of the ample bodies that most Basotho women have.The fact that they embrace their unique appearance is in my opinion quite commendable given the copy-cats that now fill the African continent; where anything foreign is embraced wholeheartedly at the detriment of our Africanness and a few cases of bulimia have also been reported among Africans, which is a crying shame really.

The Quirky Stories From Lesotho

I spent quite some time in The Kingdom In The Sky and got my full share of some of their wacky behavior.

Basotho Women

Most residential suburbs do not have inside plumbing so most people use the longdrop toilets  a bit removed from the main residence.Where I come from,people visit the toilets ,do their business and leave .Not the Basotho women ,I noticed some accompanying each other to the john deep in conversation and continue this whilst one is on the inside reliving themselves.The first time I saw this I thought maybe it was a once off and the people doing it had some very important business to discuss,but I noticed that it would hasppen often.It is actually a norm where one finds ladies discussing anything from politics to marital problems like cheating husbands whilst one was standing guard like a guard protecting the national treasure and the other would be in the toilet.