Mashava band makes it to Chibuku Road to Fame finals

A Mashava sungura band Ochestra Mafarochete are this year’s Masvingo provincial winners of the Delta Beverages-sponsored Chibuku Road to Fame after outshining eight other groups at Farai Bar over the weekend. The group will represent Masvingo at the national finals to be held in Harare.

A Mashava sungura band Ochestra Mafarochete are this year’s Masvingo provincial winners of the Delta Beverages-sponsored Chibuku Road to Fame after outshining eight other groups at Farai Bar over the weekend. The group will represent Masvingo at the national finals to be held in Harare.

Ochestra  Mafarochete
Ochestra Mafarochete

Tatenda Chitagu Own Correspondent

The group walked tall pocketing $1 000 after a splendid performance that left the audience in unison with adjudicators.

Masvingo city’s Wezhira band came second and pocketed $500 while third placed Dzimbadzemabwe Sounds got $300.

Ochestra Mafarochete band leader Zebedee Gurajena said they felt honoured by the prize and hoped it would be a stepping stone to greater heights in the music industry.

“We are very enthusiastic to represent the province at the national competitions and we promise we are not going to disappoint. We also hope this honour will be our launchpad to get national recognition in the music industry,” Gurajena said.

National winners will get a cash prize as well as a recording contract.

Gurajena thanked the sponsors for the talent-searching show started in 2001, which he said will make small unknown groups get recognition.

Delta Beverages sorghum brand manager, Richard Rashai said this was part of the company’s corporate responsibility to market talented small groups in all corners of the country.

“This is part of our efforts to give back to the community in which we are operating. We want different groups of diverse cultural backgrounds to showcase their talents. We would like to thank the National Arts Council which we are working with and we are glad we have left a footprint for various groups that won at the national competitions,” Rashai said.

Ochestra Mafarochete was crowned winners, according to the adjucators, owing to their well-choreographed songs, nimble-footed dances and smart attire as well as flowing music which had a message in it.