Zima must promise what they can deliver

By Mtandazo Dube

First it was the son Julian Marley, then the backing group I Threes, before settling for what looked like a definite, Rita Marley, to come to Zimbabwe and collect legendary Bob Marley’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Harare this Thursday.

The Julian and I Threes projects suffered still births.

Rita has since said she is ill-disposed and the Zimbabwe Music Awards organisers have gone into panic mode, frantically trying to get one of his children to make the journey – which may be too late.

The Zimas take place at Harare International Conference Centre in the capital on Thursday, amid enormous promises by the organisers and equally huge expectations by music lovers and nominees.

This year, there is promise of a “more polished red carpet affair, more organised limousine crews, a combined audience (live and television) of five million and a stellar line up of performers.

A Marley family member, a Ghanaian reggae artiste and a surprise high profile guest of honour have been thrown into the mix.

Last year, the promises were also big.

Unfortunately, for all the promises, even winners went home empty-handed; they did not even get the traditional statuettes to show their families.

South African Idols judge Randall Abrahams, who had been advertised as one of the high profile celebrities to grace the event, was a no-show.

The company that had been said to be working with Zima to put together the event, South Africa’s CEP, which is involved in the project management of the South African Music Awards, was nowhere to be found.

On the awards night back in 2014, musician Chinx Chingaira aka Cde Chinx, received keys to a four-bedroomed house in the leafy suburb of Marlborough, sending him and his family into delirium.

The Sunday Mail Leisure tried to surprise Cde Chinx at his new house, over a year after he was publicly handed the keys to the property, hoping to find him in his garden with his two wives, but alas, the house is incomplete.

It has been a year and three months since Cde Chinx received the keys to the house.

Not much has changed since February 2015 when Zima chair Joseph Nyadzayo promised to finish the house in less than a month.

Yes, there are now roof trusses but there are no tiles. After that there will be extensive work involving tiling, plumbing and cabinet fittings.

As for Cde Chinx, he still lives in Chitungwiza with one of his wives while the other one is still in Norton. The musician, who has been rumoured to be of ill-health, could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was unreachable.

But in an earlier interview with this publication, Cde Chinx said he would wait for his promised gift as he lacks capacity to help finish the project.

“I have waited to be recognised since 1980 – surely I can wait a few more weeks or even months. I have no way of assisting right now,” he said.

Unlike veteran gospel musician Mechanic Manyeruke, who was clearly deceived by unashamed wannabe philanthropists, Cde Chinx is guaranteed that he will get his gift.

“It is not a question of if, it is now just a question of when,” declares Nyadzayo, who says finishing the property is the single-most important project in his life right now.

The founder of the Zima awards, Nyadzayo, is an optimistic man and says Cde Chinx will move into his house “a short while after the awards”.

“When I finish it, because of the problems we have had with the people that had promised us resources, I will celebrate. I want to throw a big party to hand over the house,” said Nyadzayo.

Nyadzayo is also a hardworking man whose commitment to the arts is unquestionable.

“We admit, last year we were too ambitious. But this year we have had time to introspect and have polished what people will witness at the ceremony. The event should be of such a grade that it commands a huge viewership.

“The artistes should shine in front of a huge audience. That is the value they will get from being part of the awards. That is why we do not attach any monetary value to the awards. Any resources we get for the awards we use to improve the show. Artistes should benefit from viewership of five million plus people and a full house at the venue.”

Tickets for this year’s event range from US$10 to US$25. Ghanaian reggae artiste Blakk Rasta and part of his Herbalist Band will be the headline act at a Zima after-party at the same venue.

This will be the Well Done Bob (WDB) Concert. The WDB concert is in honour of President Mugabe as he celebrates his 92nd birthday.

The Zimas come after the condemned Nationals Arts Merit Awards, which have been largely dismissed by pundits as a big farce. The Sunday Mail