Comedian Mudhara Bhonzo dies

Comedian Lawrence Simbarashe, popularly known as Mudhara Bonzo, has died. Simbarashe passed away on Saturday evening at Chitungwiza Central Hospital after a battle with diabetes.

He was well-known for comic series “Bhonzo Nechikwata” that is popular as “Timmy naBhonzo” in which he co-starred with Timothy Tapfumaneyi who played Timmy.

Tapfumaneyi confirmed Simbarashe’s death which he described as a sad loss to the entertainment industry.

“This is a sad loss to the industry. I worked with Mudhara Bhonzo for a long time and we had a great relationship.

“Our relationship went beyond acting. We met when we were working for ZBC and we clicked because we both liked jokes,” he said.

“He was an experienced artiste. He knew a lot in music, acting and broadcasting. He was so good that he would at times do commercials without a script.

“He was also against the idea of using a script when we did ‘Timmy NaBhonzo’. I learnt a lot from him. He was a veteran. It is a huge loss.”

Mourners are gathered at 544 Mandebvu Street in St Mary’s, Chitungwiza. By the time of going to print yesterday, burial arrangements were not yet clear.

The comedian had vast experience, having featured in about 15 local films.

He also did numerous commercials for many companies at the peak of his career.

However, in his last days Simbarashe was a pale shadow of his former self. He had lost his voice and could no longer participate in productions. The loss of income reduced him to a destitute.

He survived on well-wishers’ donations, which was a sad case for the popular actor. The Herald