The Sunday Mail
THE story of the BaTonga people, how they were chaotically moved to pave way for Kariba dam by the colonial Rhodesian government and the community’s struggle for development in their new settlements, is well documented.
For a long time since before Zimbabwe’s Independence in 1980, most of the area’s people never reached O-Level. A Grade 7 certificate remains an achievement in some parts, while a section of the population never sets foot in the classroom all their lives.
When companies around Kariba urban and the Nyaminyami Rural District Council areas intending to employ locals advertise for jobs, five O-Levels is hardly ever a requirement.
Usually a secondary education will suffice, just as proof that one is teachable. After all, most young men simply go into fishing, and arts and crafts, while the girl child marries early, too early in most cases.
So when Kingstones and Zimpapers launched Nyaminyami FM in Kariba in January 2017, the expected struggle was always going to be where to find personnel teachable enough to be able to actually run a radio station.
But a year down the line — a team largely built on talent drawn from Kariba and its environs has metamorphosed into inspirational household names, which in turn have gone on to unearth some of the most incredible talent from the region.
Talk of radio presenter, MuKore Kore we Hurungwe aka Chairman Mupfurutsa, or the passionate security guard-cum-radio presenter DJ Tatman, real name Tatenda Norman Musemwa, one realises Nyaminyami FM has taken Mashonaland West by storm.
Some of the presenters have extraordinary tales of their journey with the station — like Kudakwashe Coffee — who when he joined was an assistant general hand but has risen to become not just a presenter/producer but the head of the station’s digital division.
Led by experienced broadcaster and Kariba tourism industry leading light, Maxton Kanhema aka Boss K, the team is responsible for making dreams of what a few years ago were just wanna-be artistes, into reality. One of the most famous Tonga artistes, a sungura supremo called Oscar Mangirazi, has become a key stakeholder in a music industry that now feeds the growing radio station.
Sungura, one of the genres with a massive following in every part of this country also boasts of Soviet Mathias — an old school guru of the genre — whose music has also become a staple in Kariba. Gospel singer Simba Chikomo, whose music plays on ZBC-TV, is also one of the most famous artistes in Kariba.
In addition to a massive appetite for Tonga music, measured through requests, the real noise, probably indicative of the station’s young and vibrant staff, has to be reserved for dancehall and hip-hop artistes. Dominated by mostly youthful artistes, the genres have seen artistes from all over Mashonaland West making a beeline to Nyaminyami FM.
Add to this the massive Kariba Lakeside Summer Festival held last year, which drew over 10 000 people from Kariba and surrounding areas, and the station looks poised for greatness. Life in Kariba is changing — thanks to Nyaminyami FM.
Piwai Dzuda, the Zimpapers deputy general manager — radio broadcasting division, says “you ain’t seen nothing yet”.
“The growth of that station has been phenomenal. Despite a few signal problems in some parts, which we have already engaged the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe and Transmedia over, the station has a reach of not less than 250 000 people across Mashonaland West.
“The summer festival that the station did last year drew 11 000 people. In areas around Mash West and Central, various audio clips of Nyaminyami FM’s presenters are ringing tones and are making rounds via WhatsApp and other social media platforms,” said Dzuda.
He added: “Nyaminyami is one of the radio stations in this country that are set to be top-notch, not just because it has been tailor-made for its clientele and is popular, but because Kariba is massive. Kariba is one of the most under marketed and underrated tourist destinations in this country, but we are changing that through Nyaminyami FM.”
The Sunday Mail Society also caught up with Clive Kudakwashe Chironga aka Shonamite, a bundle of energy who believes that Nyaminyami is Godsend to change the area’s fortunes.
“The way music fans accept you is different when your music is being played on radio. Because of Nyaminyami, our music is on radio and now people take us more seriously and they support us,” said Shonamite, whose name is a combination of his proud Shona heritage and dynamite (which is said to come in small packages).
The hip-hop artiste, who has had a stint in South Africa and frequents Harare’s Mbare studios for better sound quality when recording, even has a clothing line now, 261 Outlaws. 261 is Kariba’s area code.
“Right now I’m working on a mix-tape with Heartbeat Records. ‘Ndekapi’, one of my tracks, is one of the most popular songs on Nyaminyami FM right now. I have also done dancehall projects with Iton on the After Winter riddim.
“I have done songs with Dr Clarence — a medley called One Plan riddim. We are also doing works with Givenchy Records,” said Shonamite.
Artistes that thought their music would never be listened to or would remain localised are now being played throughout Mashonaland West. The music itself has improved because the radio station requires a certain standard for the music to be played on air.
“So as artistes we are forced to travel to Harare for the required quality. What we would really want as soon as possible is a studio in Kariba that can produce the quality that the radio station requires,” Shonamite pleaded.
An association of artistes has even been formed, the Kariba Performing Arts Association (KPAA).
Although just a small town with a population of slightly under 30 000 as of 2012, its influence is being felt throughout the province.
“The guys from Nyaminyami FM encourage us to work with artistes from other areas like Magunje, Chinhoyi, Chirundu, and Hurungwe, and interact with others from Mola, the Fishing Camps, Bumi and Binga. This has definitely yielded results because communities love to hear one of their own being recognised and their works making waves across the nation,” said Shonamite.
Through Nyaminyami FM, artistes like SinBad, an Afro-pop singer; music producer Dox; Karoi artiste Russel Tawanda; Jac and Afro Peace band, a group inspired by Jah Prayzah and Andy Muridzo type of music; Sly; Ras Quilz and Good Boy have a chance of making it big.
A recording studio, Downtown Records, has become busier and popular while Kariba’s human resource exports dotted around the country, the region, the continent and the world at large are helping shine the light on one of the most endowed resort areas in Zimbabwe.
