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Boniface Chimedza Arts Correspondent
Afro-Jazz Artiste Brian Nyahuma has released a single titled “Hutsanana”, to enhance national awareness in combating the deadly cholera epidemic, following the outbreak of the water-borne disease in Harare last month.

A seasoned musician who already has five albums to his name, Nyahuma decided to package a song to create the requisite awareness towards preventing the spread of the deadly scourge.

Since its outbreak in early September, cholera has killed nearly 50 people, with over 5 000 people having reportedly been infected in Harare by drinking contaminated water.

In an interview the artist said the song was his personal response to the call by Government, for people to come together and fight cholera.

“I decided to do the song as my way of putting an effort towards the national fight against cholera.

The objective is to enlighten people about the reality of the threat. It is my own way of playing a part in averting the scourge of the disease,” Nyahuma said.

Nyahuma has since finished doing the video for “Hutsanana”, which features primary school children from Saint Bernards Primary School in Kutama, where he works professionally as a music  teacher.

“I would have loved to have the song translated into different vernacular languages but owing to limited resources, this is not possible. So if there are people out there who are willing to fund the translation of the song into other languages, they are most welcome,” said Nyahuma.

Possessing an inborn talent, Nyahuma started playing Marimba at the tender age of 10. He was crowned the best Marimba player both at primary and secondary school levels.

However, his passion for playing Marimba was soon cut short by his parents, who considered it a vain and fruitless pursuit, a move which saw Nyahuma losing out on the offer he was given to join the Hohodza Artistic Ensemble in 1998.

Nyahuma recorded his first single “Uri Muroyi” in 2004 and did his first album “So They Say” in 2007, with tracks like “Uri Muroyi”, “Ndisiye Ndiende”, “Zungairwa” among others.

“Ndingatii Zvangu”, his second album produced in 2009, with tracks like “Ndichachengetwa Nani”, “Unosvika Rinhi” and “Chiuya” featured artists such as Mono Mkundu, Blessing Mparutsa, Enock Piroro, Philip Svosve, the late Sam Mtukudzi and the late Adam Chisvo.

Nyahuma went on to record another album in 2011 dubbed “Hausi Wega” which received a huge air play on local radio with tracks like “Mandipa”, “Hakuna Mumwe” which was a duet with Rute Mbangwa and “Uchandida Chete” whose video was among the top 50 video count down for 2012.

2013 saw the musician release his fourth album “Yambirika Listen”, which heralded the formation of his band branded “The African Pride”, a six-member outfit.

“Toyambukira” was Nyahuma’s fifth album, released in 2016 featuring tracks like “Mwenje weRudo”, “Vechidiki Manyanya”, “Rugare”, “Idai Vachipo” and “Save Life”.

Internationally, Brian Nyahuma has performed at the World Youth Day in Zaragoza Spain in 2011 and shared the stage with other artists and groups at the Magis Ignite Africa Festival.