“He is no longer the same” – Nicholas Zakaria’s wife on his health struggles

HARARE – Margaret Gweshe, the wife of sungura great Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria, says the musician has been forcing himself to perform even when he is sick, as he struggles to provide for his family while batting diabetes and hypertension.

According to the musician’s wife, Zakaria’s mobility has been affected by an illness that has hit his arms and legs the hardest, forcing him to arrive late on stage on some occasions.

In an interview with The Herald, Gweshe said that it was now a struggle to raise money for Madzibaba’s dietary needs, as he was the family’s main breadwinner.

However, as his health had deteriorated over the last two years, the sungura legend had been struggling to provide for his family.

“My husband’s health deteriorated two years ago, he is no longer the same due to poor health,” she said.

“Sometimes he complains of dizziness and he struggles to appear on stage on time during his live performances. We are appealing for help from well-wishers because we are failing to cater for his needs. He is on a special diet.”

She revealed that Zakaria continued to take bookings despite the fact that his health was now failing him, as it was the only way to feed his family.

“The band told me that my husband sometimes appears on stage late since he is sick,” she said.

“When he is under attack, he forces himself to perform for the sake of fans. On Thursday, he is going to Mozambique for some shows because he doesn’t have a choice since music remains his only source of income,” said Gweshe.