The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
DT Bio Mudimba, the sungura musician whose hit song “kujata jata” has, for the better part of the year, taken the airwaves and homes by storm, wishes his deceased parents had lived long enough so that they could have danced to his hit song.
Growing up in Kalungwizi Village in Binga, Mudimba’s parents often whipped him for playing the homemade guitar that he made from a cooking oil gallon.
“My parents were very strict and didn’t want me to play the guitar.
“They associated music and playing the guitar with juvenile delinquencies,” Mudimba, whose real name is Day Tawanda Ncube, said.
The self-taught guitarist resorted to going into the bush where he could learn how to sing and play the guitar, away from his parents’ prying eyes.
“I had to run away from home and go deep into the bush where I could teach myself to play the guitar. My parents would then give me a thrashing when I returned home in the evenings,” Mudimba said.
Despite the beatings, Mudimba soldiered on.
“It is unfortunate that my parents did not live long enough to see what I have grown to be. I would have loved to see them dance along to ‘Kujata jata’, a project that changed my life,” added Mudimba.
A Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services officer based in Bulawayo, Mudimba’s musical journey started when he was still a young boy as he composed and sang his songs both at home and school.
“Naturally, I am a singer. I remember one morning when my sister laughed at me, saying that I going crazy since I was singing even in my sleep,” he chuckled.
Mudimba was also inspired by his uncles, who often played the Tonga music instrument which is known as the “tunkobela”.
“I would listen to my uncles play the tunkobela, which is similar in many aspects to the mbira music instrument. I then developed a liking and appreciation of music in general,” added Mudimba.
Like most musicians from disadvantaged backgrounds, Mudimba started off with a home-made guitar.
“My guitar was my most prized possession. I wouldn’t allow anyone to touch it,” the nostalgic Mudimba said.
The release of “kujata jata” instantly made Mudimba a household name.
Released in December last year, the song, which is sung both Tonga and Shona, did exceptionally well.
In the song, he makes reference to a family which is experiencing spiritual problems, resulting in the family seeking help from a traditional healer.
Mudimba also discourages the use of juju in the song as he makes reference to Skimbo, a character whose love for money led him into acquiring a goblin which brought untold suffering to his family.
Up to this day, Mudimba, who leads the Kaani Stars Band, cannot believe his luck.
“I am still in a state of shock. It is not easy for an upcoming artist to hit the right chord with his first single. In my case, it only took me only three months to become a hit,” Mudimba, who is working on another project, said.
Despite the early success, Mudimba chose to remain in the shadows as he concentrates on his chosen careers.
Although Mudimba conducts his practice sessions at home, he tries as much as he can to separate his work, music and family life.
When he speaks about his music, Mudimba is enthusiastic and carefree.
The rising musician, however, is a bit discreet when it comes to his family and private life.
