A Year Like No Other

By Talent Katsande

“This is double tragedy.” Of late, the arts and entertainment industry has experienced an exodus of our neighboring countries visiting us, seeking an understanding of what happened to their favourite, talented, charismatic and energetic shining stars.

Even ‘us,’ Zimbabweans, do not have answers to that for we were left with permanent marks that’s will never fade away.

It was a year like no other, a year that made us believe that death spares no one, the rich and the poor. Surely we were never meant to stay forever on this earth, but God will come as a thief to take each and every one of us on a different day and time.

The year 2020 was not a good year in the arts and entertainment industry as it witnessed the deaths of so many celebrities and also the production and projects were affected by the global pandemic Covid-19.

If we could turn back the hands of time, nobody could ever wish to go back to 2020 because everybody has a different story to tell, our dear celebrities are gone but we will never forget them.

As rich as he was, God chose to take him at the age of 36 without considering the fact he was a man who was so much loved by his fans, it was therefore least expected that Ginimbi, ‘Genius Kadungure’ would not be amongst us by this time, for his death was so sudden.

Being a flamboyant socialite and businessman, he left his vast resources, and was buried alone after having a head-on collision with a Honda Fit along Borrowdale Road, in Harare on the 8th of November 2020.

But because he is God, nobody has the authority to question him when he makes his judgments according to his own will, however he gave us the holy spirit to comfort us.

Our beloved comedian Lazarus Boora “Gringo” is now history, he entertained our generation with all sorts of comedies but died on November 9 at the age of 47 after suffering from stomach cancer and was buried at his rural home in Rukweza, Rusape.

Imagine being a celeb and die as young as 26, was Mitchell Amuli “Moana” who left her fans with nothing to say but in shock waves and lessons drawn before and after burial as families fought for the ownership of her dead body.

All her beauty was burnt beyond recognition on the 8th of November after being trapped in Ginimbi’s car, coming from celebrating her birthday.

It feels like a dream that Prince Musarurwa an Afro-Jazz musician of the popular hit song “Runonzi Rudo” featuring Pah Chihera is no more, he died of lung cancer at the age of 32 at Chinhoyi Hospital on February 15 2020.

Think of Scara, the most popular and talented drummer died on September 4 at the age of 26, after succumbing to heart disease for long time.

Also, Lavona Maria Staal, a Bulawayo dancer, singer and actress Lavona Maria Staal also died at 32 on September 1.

She was one of the nominees at last year’s Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards in the best female dancer category and started dancing at an early age with the likes IYASA and Yvette Ndaba before she founded her own LTC Legacy brand.

There is no one like Calvin Nhliziyo, a Bulawayo based rap king contender who was famously knows as CalVin-the rapper, died on October 25 after involved in a hit and run accident near his home in Luveve 5, Bulawayo.

For sure, death is unavoidable because no matter how much we may grieve, all these celebrities we lost as Zimbabweans will never be replaced.

I remember Iyasa founding and longest-serving member, Sibonisiwe “Bonnie” Sithole died in Bulawayo on October 14 at the age of 37 from chest pains.

Sithole served Iyasa from its inception in 2000 when she joined the likes of Sandra Ndebele, Nomathamsanqa “Nkwali” Mkhwananzi, Roben Mlauzi and Futurelove Sibanda.

Who will forget “The fading Son”?, a novel that was published in 2009 by David Mungoshi, the National Arts Merit Award (NAMA) 2010 winning novel writer, poet and academic, which tackled issues of breast cancer and its effect on the patient, their spouse, family and friends

He died at 71 on the 29 of August and was buried in Manyene Village, Chivhu.The book was put on a list of literature set books for schools.

Our promising actor, Samantha Kapora featured in Telecel and Zimgold adverts as well as local movies such as My First Boyfriend and Tsitsi died early February following a short illness, ’stomach ailment’ and was buried at Warren Hills Cemetery in Harare.

Today being the last day of 2020, the arts and entertainment industry pays tribute to those stars who made the world a place and their works will forever be honoured.

Although they did not make it for 2021, we forget not the media industry which lost a number of practitioners in 2020 from Covid 19 and road traffic accidents, may their dear souls rest in eternal peace.