Organisers of the Unity Gala were left with egg on their faces as Jamaican reggae icon Luciano and sungura maestro Tongai Moyo failed to pitch up at the badly organised gig at Zimbabwe Grounds on Friday.

Although he was understood to be in Harare Moyo did not make his way to the show in a just one of the several incidences that will see Friday’s event being rated among the worst ever national music events.

“This was a sheer waste of time,” quipped one reveller as she made her way home after being frustrated by Luciano and Moyo’s no show, poor sound quality as well as mediocre performances from groups whose members claimed to be war veterans.

Infact a closer look at the performing schedule reveals that groups who purported to made up of former liberation fighters, although unpopular with the crowd, were given all the time in the world.

On the other hand popular acts such Madzibaba Nicholas Zacharia and Hosiah Chipanga were marshaled of the stage halfway through their second songs to make way for government ministers who hijacked the opportunity to sell themselves ahead of next year’s elections.

Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Harare governor David Karimanzira and Mines Minister Amos Midzi jostled for the microphone and it got so bad during Cephas Mashakada’s perfomance that fans started whistling and jeering.

“As you dance tonight do not forget that we will be having elections next year and it is your duty to defend our unity,” said Ndhlovu in an address that was as ill timed as it was not welcomed by the audience.

“Ideally we would have wanted to have the popular artistes but we kept changing the list of performers as it appeared each politician wanted a certain group to be included and in the end we were left with no choice but to follow the orders.

“This show has been a shame and you cannot really blame the fans for reacting the way they did because they deserve better,” he said.

Despite the poor organisation and sloganeering the night belonged to Sulumani Chimbetu, son to the late Simon, who put up a five-star perfomance that convinced many a fan that Dendera music was alive and well.

The young Chimbetu churned out hits such as Dzandipedza Mafuta, Chauta, Amai vaJulie as well as some of his own compositions much to the delight of the fans.

Other artistes who performed at the Unity Gala include Andy Brown, Chinx Chingaira, Leonard Mapfumo, Flash Gordon, Chase Skhuza and Extra Large.

---

Share This Story On:

Average user rating