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Merrymakers dance to Sulu’s music at Jecha Township recently

Tawanda Marwizi/ Tawanda Matanhire
It’s almost mid-morning and hundreds of people are gathered at Jecha Township in Rusape waiting for musicians Suluman Chimbetu and Faheem Somanje to perform.

Though Somanje is little known in Harare, he was a hero for the rural folks who mobbed his car when he arrived at the township.

While musicians congest their shows in the capital and other big towns, rural folks are entertainment-starved and they always wait for their favourite musicians to come and perform.

The rains did not deter the jovial mood as people were eager to see the musician’s performances that took place at the township recently.

The two musicians were invited by Mbuya Jecha, a tailor who supplies uniforms in different schools.

She wanted people to enjoy music as well as celebrating the birthday of her son Blessing.

It was a different afternoon as folks walked several kilometres to the venue.

“This is my first time to see Suluman and Faheem. I had to walk from as far as Bvekerwa School to come and see this historic event,” Vongai Mandere said.

For her that was a golden opportunity to see the top musicians she has always heard on radio.

Another villager Tompson Musana said he was an ardent music fan, but had no access to the musician’s live performances.

“Rains will not stop us from merrymaking because this is our golden opportunity. I had to walk from St Faith to come and see this show,” he said.

Others climbed up trees around the place to see the musicians performing.

“Is he Suluman for real or we are being duped by these people?” quipped one of the villagers.

Some of them were not sure if the man clad in a green T-shirt was their celebrity who released an album that has took the industry by storm.

They only believed it when the musician performed his opening song “Alice Mbewe”.

“That is Sulu for real lets go closer,” shouted the rural folks as they were drawing closer to a small space that was set as the stage.

Two songs were enough to cause commotion as the villagers were coming closer to see their celebrity.

The move was a clear indication of how several musicians are failing to reach out to several places in the country.

Though a number of sungura musicians have reportedly been performing in some remote areas, it seems they have not done enough yet to reach out to their audience in villages.

Villagers said they are starved of entertainment and were calling for musicians to come to remote areas.

“They need to come and entertain us here.

“For years here in our places we have not yet seen any single musician coming to perform here including our own Leonard Zhakata,” said one Nelson Masvosva.

Zhakata comes from Rusape.

Others said it was good for musicians to value their support as they always vote for their songs on several radio stations.

Several artistes who spoke to this publication said though they try to reach out to most of their fans, it would be difficult for them to go to some remote places.

“We try to reach every corner of Zimbabwe but some of the places are far and we end up failing to meet the expenses.

“We are willing to perform in every part of the country, but that is the problem,” said Romeo Gasa.

Chimbetu through his manager Joe Nyamungoma said their relationship with Mbuya Jecha was growing by each year and they were making it an annual event.

“Our relationship with the Jecha family is now strong and we are making it an annual event. That is one way of reaching out to the people out there,” he said.