Gospel artiste drops ‘cursed’ name

HARARE - Despite reports that he is now under investigation by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the spending spree by controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo continues unabated, after he splashed on cars for musicians Mathias Mhere, Diana Samkange and Andy Muridzo.

Gospel singer Mathias Mhere has revealed that he has had to take up more responsibility in his personal and professional life while fighting to save the life of his father, who is battling cancer.

By Thando Kanye In 2005, Linus “Lee” Kadzere booked Thomas Mapfumo to perform at The Athena, a venue in Leicester that had been closed for over a decade. The US-based Mukanya had only been in the UK for one gig, a birthday celebration, organised by Lee’s wife, Priscilla Kadzere. However, in the midst of his 40th birthday celebration, Lee had a lightbulb moment. Here was his favourite artiste, Mapfumo, performing in the UK for the first time in over three years. Why could he not entice him for more shows in the British Isles, reacquainting him with his Zimbabwean fans? That stroke of genius by a man, known for his business shrewdness and opportunism, kick started a tour which, once it was rolling, somehow found itself at The Athena, a long-abandoned venue in the East Midlands. The Athena, originally founded as an Odeon Cinema in 1936, was convinced to open its doors and there few could have known at the time, Lee had just blown a breath of new life into a venue that had been comatose for over a decade. 18 years later, Mukanya, this time flanked by Mathias Mhere and Sulumani Chimbetu, is set to make a return to The Athena under totally different circumstances.

Organisers of the annual Gwanda International Gospel Festival have unveiled a star-studded line-up for the event to be held this weekend.

Gospel singer Mathias Mhere seems to have finally solved the puzzle to his music on his latest offering “Greater than Solomon” which proved to have all the answers to cover the gaps created from his previous albums.