Online ReporterIsdore Guvamombe
Music is soothing.
Music is therapeutic.
Music is healing.
Music is inspiring.
And, good music gives you hope to pick yourself up and rise again when you are down.
For the first time in history, the people of Guruve did not enjoy the just-ended festive season, as alleged serial murderer Anymore Zivitsa’s horrific killing antics forced them into curfew.
Instead of going all out for Christmas and New Year, as usual, fear gripped them, and women and children huddled in safe havens, mostly sleeping at the village head’s homesteads while men patrolled their vicinity all night long to avert the next Zvista strike.
Between December 11, 2025, and his arrest on January 3, 2026, which is essentially the festive season, Zvitsva murdered 10 people, resulting in a national security manhunt. That soiled the festive season and forced people into hiding.
While Zvista murdered almost 30 people in a year, the highest number of murders was concentrated in December.
But today, one of Guruve’s high-rising sons, Kurai Wafawanaka Makore, is holding a musical show to give the people of Guruve a chance to dance and smile, once again.
Apparently, Makore is also a traditional leader, a village head in Guruve’s Mupinyuri area.
Kurai, the heir to Chimurenga music icon and one of Guruve and Zimbabwe’s most decorated international stars, Dr Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo, aka Mukanya, is playing for the first time in his home soil.
The show, whose purpose is to console and heal the people of Guruve, soothe, comfort and loosen up, is slated for tonight and will bring Makore alongside seasoned crooner Progress Chipfumo.
Now that Zvitsva has been arrested and is still linked to other gruesome murders, attempted murders, and rape cases, Makore and his band, the Black Lions noted that it was high time to visit his home area and meet the village elders.
His manager and most trusted lieutenant, Precious Nyandoro, said Guruve’s show was special for Makore’s well-being.
“We had planned to perform in Guruve later this year, on the condition that Zvitsva was arrested, because we didn’t want our fans to be murdered on their way to and from our shows by this monster,” she shared.
“Kurai, who has a strong connection to his roots as a village head and traditional leader, was grossly affected during the build-up to the festive season and for the greater part of the holidays, as he wanted to perform in his area. It was impossible for him to perform for people who were mourning, but now that Zvitsva has been nabbed, we can proceed to hold a series of engagements in his area.”
Nyandoro revealed that Makore’s management had to sit down with the “Manhanga Matete, Tombie and Zvinonetsa” singer and provide him with wise counsel to ensure he remained in the right frame of mind.
“We have a special advisory council that is helping Kurai Makore with every decision he makes before going public. As a council, we weighed the merits and demerits of performing in Guruve at a time when the whole area had become a no-go zone,” she stated.
The affable events management guru firmly believes that the time is right for him to bring cheer to the people of Guruve.
“Now that he has settled and is in the right frame of mind, Makore can perform and meet the elders.
With the blood that has been shed, there is also a need for cleansing the area, and this process can be led by the elders. As one of the traditional leaders, his input is essential,” she stressed.
“It is our hope that he will also meet some of the bereaved families who have lost loved ones. By comforting these families face to face, it will be a plus for the singer.”
Nyandoro added:
“I would like to thank all our fans from various social media platforms who have been giving Kurai Makore strength as he mourns some of his peers.
“His area has become a dungeon of death, but we can only thank the law enforcement agents who moved swiftly to end the mass murders of innocent souls. Socially, Zvitsva made night-life uncomfortable in the area, and vulnerable school children and some members of the community were living in fear.”
Now that Makore is set to meet his locals after a bloody festive season, many hope he will also have the opportunity to bring cheer to the people of Guruve and its environs, who endured a bleak Christmas. His visit will undoubtedly be a “painkiller” for many of his peers, supported by Chipfumo, a prolific guitarist who has seen it all in showbiz.
There is no better way for Makore to retreat to his roots for a noble cause as an influencer, entertainer and traditional leader. After all, Makore has been well established in the local showbiz landscape following the endorsement of his uncle and Chimurenga music legend, Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo, who is based in the United States.
Musically, Makore, who has less than 10 years at the helm of the Black Lions Band, has never disappointed.
As a former bus conductor and Mbare hustler, he learnt to work hard after the deaths of his mother, Sosonia Nyamutumbu, in 2000, and his father, Dominic, in 2005.
He was auditioned by Suluman Chimbetu live at Eastpoint (formerly Jazz 105) in 2019 and passed the test.
In 2020, he released his debut album, “Gara Unzwe,” which quickly garnered acclaim.
His breakthrough came in 2022 with the release of his second album, “Ngoma Kurira,” further enhancing his profile as a recording artiste. His latest album, “Dzimwe Nguva,” was released last year and coincided with Mukanya’s 80th birthday.
He has also held a series of tours both regionally and internationally, with the United Kingdom and South Africa among his destinations.
