‘Tuku death loss to arts industry’

By Blessing Masakadza

Gospel music supremo Charles Charamba says the death of superstar and national hero Oliver Mtukudzi is a big loss to the arts industry and they will pray for the widow Daisy to be strengthened.

Charamba said Tuku was an icon and a shield to all the musicians and his death will be felt.

“This is a big loss to the nation and the arts sector at large. He was an icon and a shield to all the artistes and his death will be felt. Just the knowledge of his presence was enough comfort to all of us. Reality is now here, he is no longer there,” he said.

“To Mai Mtukudzi, we will pray for her to be strengthened. She has lost a big chunk of herself. She has lost half of her soul and it’s not easy,” he added.

Charamba said Tuku deserved the national hero status and that he was his personal hero.

“Tuku to me is a personal hero. He deserved the national hero status and before conferment, he was already a hero in people’s hearts and he will forever be in their hearts,” he said.

Charamba and wife Olivia were at the funeral and he gave the closing prayer after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s address.

The singer said Tuku’s life should be celebrated as his contribution to the country is well documented.

“His life should be celebrated. What he did is well documented. To us in the Christian world, we say he is sleeping,” he said.

Charamba’s words were echoed by sungura giant Alick Macheso who said the gap left by Tuku will be difficult to fill.

“He was an icon to us, someone we looked up to and the gap he left is too huge to fill. He was a brother to me and the loss is also on a personal level,” he said.
Tuku died on Wednesday at Avenues Clinic after succumbing to a heart problem.

He was declared a national hero and his family chose to have him buried at his rural home in Madziwa. DailyNews