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Senior Arts Reporter
Affable sungura artiste Mukoma Panga says his background as a retired music promoter has made him believe in collaborations.

The 50-year-old’s revelation comes after he has gone full circle and engaged a number of artistes in other genres to come up with a creative blend.

His latest single titled “Mai Mwana” featuring gospel diva Agartha Murudzwa, has made Mukoma Panga a darling of many due to its beautiful visuals.

Former Orchestra Mberikwazvo dancer, who has since gone solo Francis “Slomo” Dhaka, comedienne of the moment Cathy “Dhafu” Chapungu and hilarious entertainer Lloyd “Mabla 10” Kurima starred in the video along with Murudzwa.

In an interview with The Herald Arts, Mukoma Panga, real name Panganayi Hare, said he has always believed in collaborations.

“I started off as a music promoter in Bulawayo before relocating to Harare, but I have always believed in combined efforts over the years,” he said.

“When it comes to music videos, I have worked with artistes in other genres like Madam Boss and Kapfupi as a way of giving them exposure.

“In this video by Naxo Films, the producer helped us to bring together Mabla 10 and Dhafu who is on demand nowadays. Dhafu and Mabla 10 assumed roles of husband and wife, which they executed very well for their exploits.

“As for Slomo, we badly needed him in this video and it was also a way of giving him a lifeline amid reports he had fallen on hard times.”

Mukoma Panga, who narrowly missed at the National Arts Merit Awards and the Zimbabwe Music Awards a few years ago, said he would not stop reinventing the wheel.  “I have realised that most sungura artistes are not investing in visuals, which has stalled progress in this particular genre,” he said.

“With the Covid-19 pandemic in our midst, the sungura genre risk fading or dying a natural death if we don’t learn from others, especially investing in visuals.

“By investing in visuals under the guidance of the right videographers, we will be able to remain relevant and continue ruling the roost as was the case before.”

Mukoma Panga, who is backed by a star-studded outfit of seasoned guitarists, said all he wanted was quality.

“By working with seasoned guitarists and musicians like Spencer Khumulani, Shiga-Shiga, Innoncent Mjuntu, Musaope Nkoma, Saviors Karikodzi among others, we will be looking for quality sound that can make my brand distinct,” he said.

“I have been using this model after realising that some of these seasoned instrumentalists were lying idle and it was a way of trying to make them productive and useful in this lockdown.”

To date, Mukoma Panga has released two albums to his credit —  ‘‘Mbuva Yehwiza’’ and ‘‘Pfimbi Yegudo.’’