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Senior Arts Reporter

Sungura guitarist Obert Gambiza, who ditched Simon Mutambi’s Cobra Kings sometime in 2009 owing to poor remuneration, is now regreting the decision.

The guitarist has relocated to Mutoko Centre where he is running a barber shop that hardly sustains him.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Buja Annual Arts and Culture Festival held in Mutoko last weekend, Gambiza opened up saying he was struggling to make a living.

The rhythm guitarist is yearning for a return to the music industry and he is already in the process of assembling his own outfit.

Gambiza has since recruited three permanent members for his band with hopes of recruiting more committed instrumentalists in the near future. 

“Things are not well for me. I am surviving on running a small barber shop at Mutoko Centre,” he said.

“The band is called Zviripachena Stars but our biggest challenge is that we do not have enough instruments.

“The situation makes it difficult for us to record our music.

“I am appealing for assistance from any one who can help us record our music since we have enough songs to make an album,” he said.

“It will take us ages to be noticed as promoter are not willing to engage musicians like me who come from marginalised areas.

“No one will ever think that there are good musicians who come from areas like Mutoko, as most promoters concentrate on artistes in major towns and cities like Harare,” he said.

Reliving his days at Cobra Kings, Gambiza said poor remuneration forced him to leave the Beatrice-based band.

“I stayed with Simon Mutambi for three years in Beatrice until I decided to leave music to look for greener pastures.

“I left Cobra Kings at the middle of recording an album sometime in 2009 after we had done some instruments on songs like ‘Happy New Year’, ‘Hupenyu Ivhiri’, ‘Officer Sakonda’ and others.

“I did not wait for him to finish the album after succumbing to pressure from my wife who wanted me to look for another job since music was not paying.

“I then went to South Africa where I stayed briefly before returning to the country.

“But, life was not good for me upon my return from South Africa.

“I then started doing menial jobs here in Mutoko and later established a barber shop at Mutoko Centre.  My wish is to go back full-time into music,” he said.