Jimalo’s cancer battle

mentioned in his neighbourhood and by musicians alike.
Such is the power of the Highfield-based music promoter and businessman that at least one in every three people you meet in the high-density suburb knows where he lives and hangs out.

So popular is Jimalo that even top musical groups have composed a song or two in praise of the popular music promoter.
From Alick Macheso, Tongai Moyo to every other local rhumba group that you may think of, they have all sung generously about the entertainment philanthropist.
At one point he caused quite a stir during a soccer match between musicians and yesteryear football stars at Harare Grounds when he came riding on top of a Hummer H2 and threw quadrillions of Zimbabwean dollars to fans.

Fans momentarily forgot to watch the match to partake in the windfall.
Arguably one of Harare’s top socialites and businessmen famously known for raining the stage with wads of Zimbabwean dollars, Jimalo is now down with cancer that is eating into his left leg.
The condition started last year.

Jimalo has accepted the sad twist of fate and is optimistic that he is on his way to recovery.
The Herald visited Jimalo at his house in Highfield to try and find out what has really taken away his hyperactive social and business life.

Although he has slowed down on going out, we met him on his way back from Gwanzura Stadium where he had gone to watch a Cosafa women’s soccer match.
“I have been keeping a low profile because I don’t think it’s worthwhile for someone with a condition like mine to move around for no apparent reason. Rather I’d stay home and relax,” he explained.
But coping with the condition is no easy task for Jimalo who at one point wanted to have his leg amputated.

“There was a time when I was really in pain and I instructed my doctors to amputate the leg just like what happened to Mashakada (Cephas).
“I opted for that because even with one leg you can still survive, however, my doctors assured me there was still hope and that they can cure the ailment,” he said as he pulled up the leg of his jeans.
Since he was diagnosed with cancer, Jimalo has had to fly to South Africa for treatment at least twice a month.

“Being a cancer patient is no easy task but because I have a brother who is a father-like figure (Phillip Chiyangwa) who is taking care of all my medical expenses I fly to South Africa twice every month.
“And treatment for cancer is not just a one-off thing but a process so I undergo chemotherapy and what is known as radiation as well and that costs no less than R10 000.

“On Friday (today), I am going to South Africa for a routine check up. I am sure I will get positive results from there,” Jimalo said.

He was full of praise for his brother without whom he said things would have been difficult.
“To be honest he (Phillip) is supporting me in every way possible and I appreciate that so much.

And this is my first time to go public about my ailment. At first I thought there was no need to do that lest it might be misconstrued by some people,” he said.

Asked whether he was also getting any support from the music fraternity, Jimalo said he was receiving moral support from his friends, family and a few musicians.

“You see in times like these that is when you see who your true friends are. A couple of musicians have visited me and so has Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu.

“I am not saying people should visit me. No! At times it’s so stressful to see people coming and asking the same question over and again,” he said.

Jimalo said he believes there are many more musicians who need help more than him.
He urged Zimbabwe Music Rights Association to assist the needy members.
“There are many little known groups that need help and it’s sad that most of the groups are not getting any funding from Zimura and yet we pay taxes to them.

“It is really bad that most musicians die destitute because they don’t have any income,” he said.
Asked what he would want to do when he fully recovers, Jimalo said he would change his line of business.
“There was a time when Phillip told me to dispose of some of my businesses and I didn’t listen but now I regret it. The business of butcheries and bottle stores are now for retired people not serious businesspeople.

“Imagine, I have buses which ply the Harare-Joburg route but there are so many loopholes in that line of business such that at the end of the day not every cent comes your way. The same goes with bottle stores, there is too much pilfering going on in that business such that the rentals and wage bill do not tally with the profit. To be honest I have fired a lot of people from either the bottle store or transport business for all sorts of bad practices.

“So, as soon I am back on my feet I want to do something big. I have been reading a lot from Donald Trump’s books and I realised how backward I am in terms of businesses. My cancer condition should not be hindrance to what I want to achieve in life. This time I want to do better in business,” he said.
Jimalo urged people not to speculate about his ill heath and that he was on his way to recovery.