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Jonasi Kasamba

Tawanda Marwizi Arts Correspondent
Chanter Jonasi Kasamba has fallen on hard times and plans to relocate to his home country the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) it has emerged. Kasamba started off as a member of the famed Orchestra Mberikwazvo led by Alick Macheso a decade ago before deserting the sungura icon to form a splinter group Extra Kwazvose in 2012. Last month the group dissolved leaving the chanter and other guitarists jobless.

Kasamba yesterday told The Herald Entertainment that he was going back to his roots in the DRC to map a way forward.

“Right now I am going back to DRC to map a way forward with my relatives but I have to be honest with you all is not well with me,” he said.

He said he was not at liberty to reveal his next move.

“I can’t tell as of now if I will return to Zimbabwe but just know that my family is here. Maybe I will have to make an official announcement when I settle down,” he said.

The Herald Entertainment understands that life has not been rosy for the chanter and he has been living from hand to mouth from the handouts from promoters.

“He was going around asking for assistance from those promoters he used to praise in songs,” a close source revealed.

Recently, he begged to return to Macheso’s Mberikwazvo but the musician’s management refused.

“When they left Kwazvose he was hopeful that Macheso would take him back but all hell broke loose when his management refused,” he said.

Kasamba is married to Ezira and has six children Koko, Ezrael, Sofia, Lilian, Bakanda, DeMathew and George.

The chanter managed to build a three-roomed house at a place called KwaChigumba in Chitungwiza during his time at Mberikwazvo.

He used to own a Mercedes Benz that has since gathered dust at his house.

“He failed to maintain the car and it has turned to be something else and he cannot drive it anymore,” revealed the source.