BULAWAYO’S popular street musician Tafirenyika Dube, aka Taffi, says he misses his late wife Gertrude Munodawafa, who died last month, disclosing that he is finding it difficult to continue entertaining people outside Pioneer House.
Munodawafa died last month at Mpilo Central Hospital after a short illness and was buried in Wedza, Mashonaland East.
Southern Eye Lifestyle caught up with Taffi and he narrated his ordeal following the death of his dear wife.
“It will take me some time before I can play my guitar again because I am still grieving my wife, my best friend. I am not singing because my heart is not yet settled due to the loss of my beloved one. I do not know when I will be able to sing because this comes and goes,” a visibly sorrowful Taffi said.
Taffi used to sing together with his wife along 8th Avenue outside Pioneer Building.
The two sang renditions of various local, regional and international artistes, top among them popular country music singers Don Williams and Dolly Parton.
Gertrude grew up in Harare before later relocating to Bulawayo.
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She started as a vendor selling sweets at the Main Post Office; corner Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo and Eighth Avenue, where she demonstrated her singing prowess.
Taffi said he used to hear her voice in the street and ended up approaching her proposing love.
“I could hear her singing from a distance and could not resist the voice. At first I went near her and joined her singing. I later introduced myself to her and she fell for me and we became one,” he told Southern Eye Lifestyle.
The two got married in 2003 and were blessed with five children.
Taffi was born at Granger kraal under Chief Khayisa in 1957.
At the age of eight he suffered from measles which turned him blind.
He did primary education at Muganga Primary School in Ascot, Gweru.
He joined the school choir and later learnt to play a guitar at Grade Five.
In 1983 his career in music scaled heights. Their first album in 2004, titled: Listen To The Word, I Say, was recorded.
In 2003 Taffi went to Namibia where he performed in a number of places. In 2013 they released another album titled Mwariwangu.
