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Munya Nyemba

Fred Zindi Music
On the 2nd of this month, Transit Crew conducted what was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for the band’s new bassist, Allan Chigwedere, who replaced the late Munya Nyemba (who passed on in March.) Marondera’s reggae fans who were gathered at the Legends Sports Diner were curious to find out how the band with its new bass player would sound. It turned out the Harare fans were even more curious as half the venue was filled with reggae music fans from Harare. Even Tererai Nyemba, Munya’s son was there to witness if Allan was fit to take over his father’s 30-year-old crown. None were disappointed.

When the band went on stage at 9pm there was magic. It appeared as though Munya’s spirit has never left Transit Crew. He was simply using Allan’s fingers to play the five-string bass guitar as the Transit Crew sounded the same.

Today, Transit Crew remain one of the most exhilarating live acts in reggae throughout the country. Last week, they transformed Marondera’s usually thoughtful home of Sports and other radical fringes into a sweaty and celebratory dancehall.

They gave the crowd some one love vibes in the exotic dining spot in what is known as reggae ‘tiki style’. Transit Crew turned the Legends Sports Diner into a den of roots rock reggae debauchery.

Before 9, the crowd had their eyes glued to television screens watching football between two English teams (which I can’t remember as I am a music fan and not football.) At the same time we were greeted by the sounds of Bob Marley, and hordes of heaving, happy bodies.

At 9pm the blissful, beat-driven reggae feeling was palpable not only on the dark, dreadlock-specked dance floor but on stage too. After three instrumental songs, Mannex Motsi, the lead vocalist of Transit Crew leapt onto the stage and introduced himself with , “Everybody feeling irie? Give thanks and praises to Jah. We still here. Jaaaaah! Rastafari!” before going into the first tune.

A co-worker recently asked me why so many reggae artistes are, in his words, “so hung up on that Jah Rastafari, peace and love (stuff).” The fact that such, uh, stuff, has never been needed more than now seemed lost on him. Luckily it’s not lost on Transit Crew who seem to be the only conscious roots reggae band left in Zimbabwe and is loaded with the kind of take-heed music that speaks to the very essence of how human beings should be behaving (and it’s not how I’d guess the disposition of the irate-looking Lion on the album front cover of Unity).

With Mannex Motsi on lead vocals, flashing red gold and green Rasta camouflage and decked in his Gideon boots and army tunic, one look at their live act, will tell you where Mannex’s love for reggae music is at, and he sings it like he feels it.

His vocals have hints of Leroy Sibbles, Dennis Brown, Busy Signal, Richie Spice and John Holt, and when he’s joined by the harmonies of lead guitarist, Samaita Zindi, the blend is unbeatable.

Familiar riddims abound, forming a sturdy framework that allows Mannex to open up his heart and our minds to messages of peace and love to serious reggae fans.

Anthony ‘Liba’ Amon is the keyboardist here, and while it’s hard to tell how much of the instrumentation is live and direct, the keyboard sound is crisply contemporary and leaves the right measure of space for Mannex’s vocals to take centre stage, be it on serious material or a relative breather like the love ballads such as “Lonely Days”, “Tsamba” and “Rosie”.

The band’s use of Busy Signal’s “Brighter Days” riddim which slides into “Furuwa Furuwa” is awesome as it mixes Jamaican reggae with Zim-reggae. The audience at this stage is ecstatic before the band takes a 30 minute break to allow resident DJ Ninja to do his thing.

After the break, around midnight, the band churns out all the Transit Crew tunes including some Bob Marley classics from “Iron Lion Zion”, “Wait In Vain” to “Zimbabwe”.

“Satan Wajaira”, a song penned by the late Tendai Gamurea aka Culture T, resonated with the audience as everybody got up on their feet and began to skank. Five minutes into the second set, Michael Madamombe aka MicInity (who is not part of the band), leapt onto the stage, hugs everyone, except Jevas, who is busy on the drums, and grabs the microphone from Mannex. He belts out three songs with the band and Mannex takes this opportunity to take a well-deserved breather.

MicInity asks everyone in the crowd to observe a minute of silence in respect of the late Transit Crew bassist, Munya Nyemba. The audience applauds Inity for his effort and it’s back to Transit Crew again. The band leaves the stage at around 01:30 leaving DJ Ninja once again. The good reggae vibes have been spread into everyone’s system and everybody is feeling irie.

This show proved that Transit Crew is still causing a few vibrations on the radar. They are the ones to watch for if you are into roots reggae because they have catchy, feel good lyrics which you could be forgiven for thinking that they are being beamed directly from a feel-good film.

Munya Nyemba’s memorial service will be held at Bhasera in Gutu on the May 7.

The following week, on Saturday, May 14 another memorial will be held in Harare at the Theatre in the Park, Harare Gardens. This will be combined with legend Bob Marley’s Commemoration from 2pm until late. Transit Crew, together with several other reggae bands will take centre stage.

Your chance, once again to witness Transit Crew being unleashed!

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