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Sophia Chese Arts Correspondent
Musicians who won last year’s edition of the Zimbabwe Music Awards are set to receive their gongs in the first week of April. Organisers of the event failed to give the musicians the gongs on the day of the awards ceremony after CEP South Africa, the company Zima had initially engaged for the event, refused to hand over the gongs on the day citing monetary issues between the two organisations.

In an interview with The Herald Entertainment, Zima spokesperson Farai Chapotera said the gongs arrived in the country last month but they could not have a handover ceremony since they wanted to give way for the National Arts Merit Awards that took place last month.

“We acknowledge that we are yet to hand over trophies to Zima 2014 winners.We received the gongs last month but we did not want to appear as if we were competing with Nama, so we had to hold on. It is important that we hand them over in a manner befitting their recipients,” she said.

She said it was not a secret that the organisation suffered financial constraints since the corporate world failed to assist them in honouring Zimbabwean artistes who are striving to entertain and educate the people through music.

“It’s no secret that we suffered some financial challenges. However, we feel that our artistes should not suffer because of this hence we worked tirelessly to make sure that we got the gongs,” she said.

Chapotera said they are currently working on the handover ceremony on which they are also looking forward to officially hand over Cde Chinx’s house. Cde Chinx was offered a house in recognition for his contribution to the music in- dustry.

“We are currently organising an appropriate handover ceremony which we hope to hold in the first week of April.

“As you might be aware, Cde Chinx’s house is part of the prizes and it is our desire to be able to hand it over to him at the same time,” she said.

Meanwhile, she said they are promising a bigger and better awards ceremony this year.