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Cde Chinx

Tafadzwa Zimoyo TV
ALL good things must come to an end but some things and people do not go forever. Although the late iconic liberation war hero and talented musician Dickson “Cde Chinx” Chingaira passed on a few weeks ago his works are still with us, thanks to his musical videos which are being played on ZTV.

This serves to fill the void that his beloved family members, colleagues, comrades, musicians and indeed the nation at large might be having as a result of his passing on.

It is wise at this juncture to pause and salute the national broadcaster for a job well-done in helping raise the profile of Cde Chinx in his lengthy music career that saw him start singing during the colonial era, right through the liberation struggle where his music was a morale booster and a tonic to the freedom fighters, and up to post-Independent Zimbabwe.

To those who are still growing up, these videos shall always be there for future generations, and these will ensure that the works of the good comrade, who sacrificed a lot for the liberation of this country also went an extra mile in shaping the principles of patriotism, are kept alive in their hearts and memories.

If possible, the plea now is for ZTV to do a documentary on Cde Chinx’s life and times so that we will have more of his memories to hold on.

Or local filmmakers Hello!!!, here is your golden opportunity to shine rather than focusing on Westernisation.

Cde Chinxe has left behind a big family and interviewing them for the documentary as well as the other comrades whom he was closely linked to during his lifetime can work out wonders.

If countries like South Africa have documentaries and books written about heroes such as those who went down on the SS Mendi on February 21, 1917, as well as the US where they go an extra step in honouring their late veterans of the war through film productions or publishing books on them, why can’t we do the same here in Zimbabwe?

I am already visualising one of Cde Chinx’s sons or any other actor for that matter playing the part of the late affable comrade in a film based on his life tentatively titled “The Musical Comrade and His Comrades”, for want of a title, which will be screened on ZTV.

Still on the television and film basket, I particularly found some comments which were posted on social media by some Facebook (FB) buffs quite interesting, especially on their backward look at what ZTV used to be many years ago.

One of the FB guys, mentioned about the long road that travelled from being a “one movie” station to what it is today.

Back in day, according to the observer, it used to be only Astra Paints who saw it fit to weigh in their corporate muscle and also see the wisdom in advertising their products during the prime time programming.

This observation kind of injected the adrenaline inside me and I started saying, wow, if Astra Paints did it back then, why can’t more companies follow suit in order to earn big name as Astra Paints who owe much of their popularity and success largely to these adverts on TV back then.

This does not mean that companies are not advertising. But what this means is that more should be seen sponsoring the mixed programmes on offer on ZTV. Anyway, let’s keep fingers cross as we brace up for new channels.

If you are one of those TV enthusiasts who seems not have enough of something to view, as you constantly flip flap the button from this or that channel, then good times are set to role with a number of new TV channels to grace the local screens.

Names and faces behind the channels, for the meantime, I am not at liberty to divulge since I am one of those people who are waiting on tenterhooks to know who is behind which channel and what kind of programming will be on offer.

But I must hasten to add my bottom dollar on the fact that good old ZTV will not be swept away and taken off guard because the broadcaster, by virtue of being in trenches for ages, knows when to reinvent the wheel without failing to make it roll smoothly.

Just like someone who researches deep into their wardrobe for their warm winter attire so as to ward off the biting chill, so should ZTV.

They should maximise on winter considering the fact that most people will be indoors and stuck before their TVs — to give quality programming that will make glued and not migrate to other channels.

I rest my remote for now but will continue next week.

Happy viewing.