adminTawanda Marwizi Harare Bureau
CHANTER Jonasi Kasamba has fallen on hard times and plans to relocate to his home country – the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it has emerged. Kasamba started off as a member of Alick Macheso’s Orchestra Mberikwazvo band a decade ago, before deserting the sungura icon to form a splinter group, Extra Kwazvose in 2012. Extra Kwazvose dissolved last month, leaving the DRC chanter and other guitarists jobless. Kasamba yesterday told our Harare Bureau that he was going back to his roots in the DRC to regroup.
“I’m going back to DRC to map a way forward with my relatives, but I have to be honest with you, all is not well,” he said.
Life has not been rosy for the chanter who has been living from hand to mouth, surviving on handouts from promoters.
“He was going around asking for assistance from those promoters he used to praise in songs,” a close source revealed.
Recently, he begged to return to Macheso’s Mberikwazvo but the musician’s management refused.
“When they left Kwazvose, he was hopeful that Macheso would take him back, but all hell broke loose when his management refused,” said the source.
Kasamba is married to Ezira and has six children Koko, Ezrael, Sofia, Lilian, Bakanda, DeMathew and George.
The chanter managed to build a three-roomed house at KwaChigumba in Chitungwiza when he was still with Orchestra Mberikwazvo. He also owns a Mercedes Benz that has since gathered dust at his house.
Online Reporter