SUKAI Pasipanodya, mother of the late renowned musician Leonard Dembo, says Chitekete is her favourite from all the songs that were penned by her legendary son.
Moses Chibaya Own Correspondent
Speaking in an interview, Pasipanodya now in her 90s, said although she can’t remember the lyrics of the song, it is the best for her.
“Chitekete is my favourite song,” she said.
Chitekete was in 2005 accorded the Silver Jubilee award for the best song and became Zimbabwe’s second song to sell in excess of 100 000 copies after Devera Ngwena’s three that sold about 120 000 copies in the early 80s.
Chitekete was played as a signature tune at the Miss Universe competition in Namibia in 1995. Pasipanodya, who is living among the 3 400 households that are staying at Chingwizi transit camp, is now staying with her 10-year-old granddaughter.
She said one cannot separate Dembo from his music as he sang about some of the things that happened in his life.
“When he was alive Dembo would constantly visit me and attend to whatever problems that I would be facing like what he sang in the song Sheri Unodada,” she said.
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She said her grandson Morgan was named after his grandfather and that’s when Dembo penned the song Vana Vanemazita.
Pasipanodya said her son — considered by many to be one of the finest songwriters and guitarists to ever emerge from Zimbabwe — was gifted to such an extent that even up to today she does not understand it.
“That was a gift from God, even me, I could not understand such great talent,” she added.
The late Dembo together with Oliver Mtukudzi in 2006 were honoured by CBZ A-Academy for their outstanding contribution to the growth of the music industry.
Dembo passed away on April 9 1996 and in a fortnight the country will be marking the 18th anniversary of his death.
