One year on, some of Dhewa’s die-hard fans will remember him pleading with them, “Musacheme. Nditori right ipapa ndakatosimba. Mukachema vasikana ndinozorwadziwa manje.” (Please don’t cry. I am ok and strong. Ladies, if you cry, you will hurt me more.)
Report by Silence Charumbira
It was on September 9 on a Friday at City Sports Bar Gardens and Dhewa was trying to calm down his fans that were failing to hold back tears at the sight of his withering self.
He hung precariously onto the microphone stand, trying to gather all of his strength, for the sake of his audience, but the writing was already on the wall.
Sadly, that was to be his last show at the venue as he died of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on October 15, just a month later.
The news struck at sunset on the gloomy day that changed the whole game on the sungura front.
Tomorrow, the music fraternity looks back at events that have taken place since his death.
It has been a turbulent voyage that has seen Dhewa’s son, Peter taking the fatherly role for his five siblings, and of course stirring the Utakataka Express ship.
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His biggest achievement so far has been completing the Mbizo house whose building was left unfinished by his father.
The young man claimed to have spent a staggering US$25 000 on the project and according to him, it takes focus to complete a project of such magnitude.
He has also managed to keep the band on track after losing most of its experienced members when Gift Katulika aka Shiga Shiga, Spencer Khumulani and Guyson Sixpence defected to Energy Mutodi’s Mutodi Express.
There was so much speculation with many fearing that it signalled the end of Utakataka Express.
Peter had grown up a footballer and his father had stressed that he never wanted to see him near a guitar. But with the latter’s demise, Peter’s only chance was to walk in his father’s gigantic shoes and brave the storm.
Many things have been said about him being an irresponsible brat with some alleging that he is chasing away his father’s widow, Minenhle Mkweli, from the newly built house.
But as people continue talking, he has remained defiant and focused. Today he takes care of his five siblings and paternal grandmother, Mbuya Chihera, who have not noticed much of a difference since Dhewa passed away.
Peter is however yet to master his father’s vocals on stage, an art he says he is still learning.
That is what a young man with a clear vision does.
