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of his father on the eve of an overseas tour, followed by a series of fatal accidents and then an array of health problems, but his spirit has remained unbroken. Entertainment Editor Ruth Butaumocho (RB) had a chat with Tongai (TM) on a number of issues . . .
RB: Can you tell us how your treatment has been going and any healthrelated issues that you may want your fans to know about?
TM: For the last three years, the treatment for my condition (NonHodgkins lymphoma) has been good and I have been responding quite well. However, on my recent treatment, my body gave in. The side effects were rather severe such that I had to be hospitalised. This was largely because there was a slight change in the medication and that development caused more serious sideeffects.
RB: There are reports that although you were hospitalised in Gweru for some days in January, you were not really sick, but it was a strategy to get sympathy from your fans. Can you tell your fans what really transpired?
TM: There is no doctor anywhere in the world who will request a blood transfusion if you have got enough blood. No doctor will hospitalise you if you are not sick. I do have a lot of business concerns to take care of and the last thing I would do is to lie in hospital for six days just for the fun of it, while my interests suffer.
All my life, I have never lived on sympathy. I am where I am today because of sheer hard work, determination and consistence and I will continue to do that. I don’t need sympathy, I am my own man and I only need to be understood. People who are suffering from cancer and who have relatives battling with the disease will tell you what I am going through right now.
Cancer is a disease that doesn’t go away, but something that you will have to fight for the rest of your life and I have been doing that. It is therefore unfair for people to say that I was never sick.
RB: Your shows this weekend were rather successful. Do you have plans to hold more shows in the near future, and, if so, how frequently?
TM: My doctor has instructed me to scale down on the number of shows until I am feeling better. I will not be having shows week in, week out like what I have been doing over the years. However, let me say that the success of my shows was not only as a result of my band members and myself, but was largely because of our fans, who have remained loyal to us.
RB: During your show at the Harare Gardens last Saturday, you “anointed” First Farai while singing the song Cheerio (about someone who has decided to take a break from issues of life). What is the story behind that gesture Tongai?
TM: Whenever I am on stage singing that song, I always make it a point to call First Farai on stage to join me. In fact, I love to hear him sing that song, it makes me feel like I am the one who is singing it. Contrary to fans’ interpretation that song does not tackle serious issues but is just a love ballad.
RB: There are media reports that one of the founder members of Utakataka Express, Msaope “Musa” Nkoma, left the band to join Suluman Chimbetu, and you have since replaced him with Guyson Sixpence. Can you shed light on this development?
TM: Musa has been in and out of the band for sometime now. He left us sometime in 2002 and joined Alick (Macheso) when the band was involved in accident and we lost our kit. After the hit song, Samanyemba, he rejoined the band. He is somebody who always wants to be on the safe side and is quick to jump the boat when he senses danger.
When he realised that I was sick and possibly thought I would not recover, he decided to be on the safe side and joined Suluman.
It is not true that we sidelined him when we were recording our recent album. If you read the sleeves of our last three albums, you will realise who our real drummer is when recording.
In this case what happened is that after we had finished recording, there was consensus among the band members that the tempo of the album was too slow and naturally that is not our style.
We then had to rerecord the album so that it could match our style and in doing so we called in Guyson. We have been recording with him all our albums that include Naye, Pinda Panyanga, Muridzi Wenyaya and the recent project Toita Basa.
In the case of Musa, because of his frequent movements from one group to the other, he now finds it difficult to master our tempo. He is good at live shows yes, but not for recording. Anyway I wish him well, although it did not come as a surprise that he joined Sulu.
I am told it was a plan hatched by Sulu’s camp to destabilise my band, after reports that my condition had deteriorated. The camp did not only approach Musa, but several other band members, but they refused. Those in the know will tell you that it was at Sulu’s show where my “purported death” was announced, and I still don’t understand why.
The bottom line is haubudirire nekutsika vamwe.
He (Sulu) decided to target Musa, who was my trusted lieutenant, who knew all my secrets. But the good thing about this whole development is I will get him when I want him back. My young man wants money. All I need is to give him enough money to lure him.
Ndakambomutora sei kuna Alick? (How do you think I lured him back from Alick?). After all, Alick is a bigger brand name than Sulu. I have got no reason to doubt that Musa’s heart is with Utakataka, although he is busy flirting with Orchestra Dendera Kings.
RB: For years the media has been running stories on the “beef” between yourself and Macheso. What differences do you have with Alick?
TM: Nothing. We make money out of that socalled “beef” that the media has been inventing. Whether the socalled beef is real or an imagination of one’s fertile mind, we don’t care. To us, it is nothing but business.
RB: Is it true that the two of you once went out with the same girlfriend, Dhewa?
TM: The bottom line is no one has been too close to our personal lives such that they can safely say they know something about us. The story about the girlfriend is not true, but the real issue is about supremacy between the two of us.
What is real is that the perceived beef has created revenue for recording companies, increased circulation for newspapers and employment for a number of people.
Alick and myself were at one time the best of friends such that whenever I was in Harare I always made it a point to drive to Chitungwiza just to see him. The beef only surfaced when both our groups got bigger and each one of us wanted to gain supremacy.
It is very unfortunate that moments of madness caught up with us and we ended up exchanging harsh words. I am optimistic that it won’t happen again. I have learnt that greatness is not achieved by insulting others.
Look at Tuku, the old man has never at one time insulted any of his colleagues but he remains one of the best musicians, not only in Zimbabwe, but even in the region.
RB: Tongai I am sure you have been under a lot of stress, first following the death of your wife and now reports on your health. What has kept you going?
TM: My experience while growing up taught me that I have to be resilient no matter what the circumstances may be. There are a lot of people who look up to me for their livelihood, so I have to soldier on.
RB: What message do you have for your fans?
TM: Please include me in your prayers as I struggle with my health. Your support has been overwhelming and I am really grateful.
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Online Reporter