The selected poems of Memory Chirere (*with some translations)

 

The selected Memory Chirere poems

Selected from Bhuku Risina Basa Nokuti Rakanyorwa Masikati

published 2014 by Bhabhu Books, Harare.

 

 

Mashoko ekutanga

Sei mumabhuku ose andinoverenga

Musinawo zita rangu?

Kuti pakashayawo akatondera zita rangu?

Ndokushayawo akagona kuperetera zita rangu?

Kuti pane asingazive nyaya yangu?

Ndinofanira kunyora ndega zita rangu,

Ndichisima miti

Ndichitsikisa mabhuku

Ndichizvara vana!

Kurinyora parisingaore, zita rangu.

 Introduction

Why is my name not found

in any of the books that I read?

So nobody recalls my name?

Nobody could spell my name?

So, nobody knows my story?

I must carve out my name

onto every new plant 

in every new books

and on the body of every new baby.

Printing my name where it cannot be erased.

(*Translated by the author)

 

Bembera

Pamakambondishandisa

ndakati kudii?

Zvandave kuzvishandira

moti kudii?

Moti hero rombe

riri kuita zvinhu zvaro?

Declaration

During my toil as your servant

did I ever complain?

Now that I am free

what will you say?

Are you going to say: there goes the fool

now doing his own thing?

(*Translated by the author)

 

 

 

 

Pikicha

Mune iyi, ndainge ndichangozvarwa

ndakaradzikwa mubhasikiti zvaJesu chaizvo.

Ivo vachitoitawo saJosefa naMaria!

 

Mune iyi, takasimudza mawoko tagohwesa bhora.

Tarisa kushama kwatakaita kunge zvigatawa!

 

Mune iyo, mukuru wechikoro ari kunyemwerera achindikorokotedza.

Ndainge ndawana mubairo weChirungu chandaisataura kumba.

 

Mune iyi, ndainge ndakakugukuchira tiri mupaki, Sekai.

Ndaisaziva kuti rudo rwemukadzi rwunonaka nekuvava zvese.

 

Pane iri pakavha yebhuku rangu rekutanga,

ndainge ndakatarisa mberi ndichifunga kuti ndini Soyinka.

Ndaisaziva kuti bhuku haripere kunyorwa.

 

Mune iyi ndakatarisa mwana wangu wekutanga

ndichitya kuti achararama here.

Asi nhasi ave kukwira ega bhazi achienda mativi mana.

 

Mune iyo, vana vandaiticha vakasimudza maoko

asi nhasi vazhinji vavo vave kutonga nyika.

Ndinovaverenga mupepa ndoseka zvangu.

 

Mune iyi, ndakasunga tayi

ndiri pedyo chaizvo negurukota rehurumende.

Vari kumusha vanoti ndinodya namambo.

 

Apa, ndiri parufu rwaFarai

ndakakotamisa hope yangu pabhokisi rake

ndichiti, “Famba zvakanaka Fatso, ndichatevera.”

 

Mune yanhasi, ndiri pamunda wangu.

Ndini here uyu akapfeka kabudura kemurimi

achiteerera zvake kukura kwechibage?

 

Vasikana ava handichaziva mazita avo.

Asi uyu mutsvuku ndakamushaira mukana tiri pachikoro.

Kwaari ikoko Mwari ngaandichengetere.

 

Mune iyo iri pamusoro pesofa, mai mwana

tiri pamuchato wedu tichitsvodana tatumwa namufundisi.

Uchazvigona here izvi pazere vanhu?

Picture

In this one, I had just been born

laid out in a basket like Christ himself

as my parents pose as Joseph and Mary!

 

In this one,

we are raising our hands after scoring a goal.

Look at us chanting like scavenger birds!

 

In that one, the school Head is congratulating me with a smile

I had come first in the English

that I never spoke at home.

 

In this one,

I am fully hugging you in the park, Sekai.

Wish I had  I known a woman’s love is bitter- sweet!

 

In the picture at the back of my first book,

I was looking ahead thinking I was Soyinka himself.

I hadnt known that one cannot really write a book conclusively.

 

In this one I am looking at my first born

wondering if she would make it.

But now she boards buses to go all over on her own. 

 

In that one, my pupils are raising their hands to me

But today many of them are our national leaders.

I read about them in the media and laugh out loud.

 

In this one, I am putting on my tie,

Sitting close to a cabinet minister

Back in the village they will think I am part of the inner circle.

 

Here, I am at Farai’s funeral,

Sadly casting my eyes onto his coffin

whispering, “Go well, Farai. will join you soon.”

 

In today’s picture I am at my farm.

Is this really me in a farmer’s shorts

listening to the silent growth of corn?

 

I don’t recall the names of these young school beauties.

I had no opportunity to propose love to the light complexioned one.

Wherever she is, may God keep her safe for me.

 

In that one above the sofa, dear wife

we are at our wedding,  kissing at the instigation of the pastor 

Can we afford to do this again  in public?

 

Shamwari yaSarudzai

Shamwari yako inondinyara, Saru.

Kana ndikamutarisa anoringa pasi

asi ndikaringa divi anobva anditarisa.

Shamwari yako inoshereketa, Saru.

Patinomhoresana anoramba akandibata ruoko

ndonzwa kupiswa nemagetsi ake akawanda.

Shamwari yako ine shungu, Saru.

Patinombundikirana anozvambarara pachipfuva changu

ndonzwa kuremerwa nemusoro wake.

Shamwari yako inoona, Saru.

Kana ndikapfeka zvakanaka anokutangira kuzviona.

Kana ndikadikitira anokasika kubudisa hengechepfu.

Shamwari yako inonzwa, Saru.

Ndikataura zvinofadza anobva aseka kudarika iwe

achibuda tumisodzi tuchena tunenge mvura.

Shamwari yako haina guhwa, Saru.

Kana ndichitaura newe anoringa divi

achimirira kuti tipedzerane pachedu.

Shamwari yako inoyemura, Saru.

Kana mandioneka modigaira moenda

ndikangocheuka ndinoona achicheukawo.

Shamwari yako inondivhiringidza, Saru.

Anondivinga kuhope achiti tiende kwatete vake

asi iwe hausati wandiendesa kana kumukoma wako.

Shamwari yako inokasika, Saru.

Ndakasangana naye aine mukoma wake mukuru

vakanyemwerera vachinditi, “Kaziwai, babamunini!”

Ndakatarisa pasi ndokunyarara zvangu

nokuti unondinzwisa tsitsi kwazvo, Saru.

Sarudzai’s friend

Your friend is very shy, Saru.

When I look into her eyes,

she looks down.

When I look aside

she starts to look at me.

You friend is mischievous, Saru.

When we shake hands

she holds onto me for far too long

and I burn in her highly powered voltage.

Your friend is keen on me, Saru.

When we hug

her head collapses in my arms

and I struggle with her mighty weight.

Your friend is very observant, Saru.

When I dress well

her compliments come  earlier than yours.

Whenever I sweat

she quickly offers me her handkerchief.

Your friend has a rich sense of humour, Saru.

When I crack a joke

she laughs louder than you

shedding tears as clear as water.

Your friend is not keen on eavesdropping, Saru.

When I whisper to you

she keeps her distance

allowing us to resolve our disputes.

Your friend appreciates me dearly, Saru.

As you hurry away after our goodbyes

I turn around

and catch her turning around too.

Your friend mesmerizes me, Saru.

She appears in my dreams

asking to introduce me to her aunt.

Yet you still haven’t introduced me even to your sister.

Your friend is quick and decisive, Saru.

I bumped into her and her elder sister

And the elderly lady smiled 

and said to me, “Hello, brother in law!”

I looked down, perplexed

because I have great pity for you, Saru.

 

 

 

 

Nyika yedu

Tinoda nyika ino neupfumi hwayo hwose.

Kuti tiidye zvishoma nezvishoma pauzima.

Tichiseva muto wayo nemusuva wesadza.

Tichinyenyeredza pane nyama nedomasi.

Kuti tizozvinhonga pakupedzisira kwemutambo.

Tinoda nyika ino neupfumi hwayo hwose.

Kuti tiicheke hafu toisa mukabati.

Todya hafu yacho izvozvi nhasi uno.

Imwe hafu toti ndeyemangwana.

Hafu yanhasi toizora bhata zvese nedovi nejamhu.

Tozomira zvedu pavhuranda tichiidya.

Tichionekwa nevana vepaseri kuti tiri kudya.

Tinoda nyika ino neupfumi hwayo hwose.

Kuti tigoimenya tega seranjisi.

Tichikachidzwa neutsi hwayo tichikosora.

Tichibudisa tumisodzi tunokonzerwa nekunakirwa.

Tozoibvanzura tichiisa mukanwa ichingotapira.

Muto uchiyerera uchidzika nemagokora edu.

Tozounanzva futi muto iwoyo nerurimi rwunogwagwadza.

Tinoda nyika ino nerunako rwayo rwose.

Kuti tigoona zuva rayo richibuda muchikomo.

Tichiritya utsvuku hwaro hunoshamisa pamangwanani.

Tichiudzana zvedu nhasi kuchapisa mwachewe.

Tigoona mwedzi uchigara pamusoro pezviruvi zvemba.

Uchiita sekamwana kagere mudumbu maamai vako.

Tinoda nyika ino zvinototirwadza chaizvo.

Kunyanya kana zviye tiri kure-kure nayo.

Tinotorota tiri mumunda wechibage chakasvibirira

Tichitsvaga pane magaka, ipwa  nemabvembe.

Tichizotyora chibage chinyoro tichiimba

Tichinochibika mumabhodho anopfungarara pamoto.

Hwema hweZhizha huchikwidza nemaraini.

Tinoitondera nemisodzi chaiyo nyika ino.

Nokuti yakatida tisati tatomboziva kuti tisu vanaani.

Tikaidawo tisati taziva kuti chinonzi rudo chii.

Yakatipa mazita anosekwa kwese kwatinoenda.

Vana Lovemore, Rosewita, Doesmatter naEvernice.

Hatiseke nokuti tinoziva zvaanoreva mukusareva kwawo.

Takatozoita zvokuchata nayo nyika ino muhana dzedu.

Saka painominyuka tinofashaidza mvura pamoto.

Kwave kuitova zvinyoronyoro nejira mumvura inopfumbuka.

Painoyuwirawo nesu tinonzwa hana kusimuka dzichibvondoka.

Tinoinzwisisa nemutsa nyika ino.

Painodikitira tinoipukuta nehengechepfu chena inenge gore.

Painochema semhuru tinonzwa mukaka kusisa mumazamhu edu.

Nyika ino ticharamba tichifa isu kuti iyo irarame zvayo.

Tichasiya tanyora mazita edu pamapazi ayo.

Tichishandisa mapanga, matemo, mbezo, reza namapadza.

Kuti vanopfuura nepano taenda vagoziva kuti tainge tiri panowo.

Naivowo vafambe zvinyoronyoro vasiye nyika ino chiri chidadiso.

 

 

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

ave kuita sewachi zvino

zvokuti achafira mumaoko evanhu.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge nguva yechando

paanoenda tichachema nemufaro

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

Anenge zimukuyu repanzira

nyora zita rako pariri ufambe, uyende.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge kapoto kasina ridhi

Kanokwata kusvikira kapwa

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge kakova kasina bhiriji

Unotoyambuka kaserera.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge doro repataundishipi

Munotobvunzana, “Nhasi rakadii?” musati matenga.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge redhiyo ine bhatiri idzva

Munotokotsira achingorira.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aka katetembo hakana basa nokuti kakanyorwa masikati:

Kakova kanonzi rudo rwangu

Kanobva pano kusvika pandinozofa apo-o!

This mischievous little piece is from my daydreams

The love I have for you is a little river

that flows from here till my death over there.

 

 

 

 

 

Kana uchifudza

Kana uchifudza mombe;

unoramba zvaunoziva

ugobvuma zvausingazive

ugoziva wega zvaunoziva.

 

Kana uchifudza mbudzi;

unotadza kuziva kuti

uchiri kuenda here kana kudzoka,

Wotanga zvino kumhanyira kwauri kubva!

 

Kana uchifudza hwai;

unotadza kuziva kuti ndiriinhi zviya,

pawakamboona zvauri kuona.

 

Kana uchifudza vanhu;

uri kutsvaga chiri kukutsvagawo

Kana wasvika pachanga chiri,

Icho chinenge chave pawambenge uri!

 

 

 

 

Rudo

Rudo rwandisina kukupa:

kashiri kanodya masefa kachicheuka.

Rudo rwandisina kukupa:

ibenzi riri kumhanyira kwariri kubva

saka harisvike zvachose iwe!

Rudo rwandisina kukupa:

rwunombogwamba mandiri semafuta

rwuchizopepuka chete kana ndakuona

rwosimudza musoro senyoka yaona gonzo.

Ndinobva ndarwupuruzira iwe-e-e-e

kuti rwurare zvarwo sekatsi yakaguta

nokuti kana rwaona iwe rwunogwagwadza

rwozvongonyoka senyoka mumunda uchangorimwa.

A, ndiri kudzidzira kudzikama pandinokuona

nokuti rudo rwandisina kukupa:

imhodzi isina kuwira pavhu kwaro kuti imere.

Rudo rwandisina kuzokupa:

unorwuonawo here mumeso edu kana tasangana?

Kana kuti unongoti:

“Zvatakapotsa hanga, todya zvedu makunguwo.”

 

 

 

 

 

Pamuviri paShamiso

Zvinonzi Shamiso ane pamuviri pangu

nokuti tinonzwikwa tichiseka zvedu tose

kuchipisa, kuchitonhora kana kuchivhuvhuta

zvokuti vanhu vanosiya poto dzichitsva pamoto

kana kusiya nhau dzichiverengwa pawairesi

kana kusiya pombi dzichirasa zvadzo mvura

vachingotarisa ini naShami tichiseka zvedu.

Zvanzi tinoonekwa tiri tose kwose-kwose zvako

paMugovera, paChishanu, paChitatu kana paChina

vanhu vachitondera vachirasika zvakarewo

kuti kave kechingani vachiona ini naShamiso

kuye-keye-e zuva riye-riye-e nepaye-paye-e!

Saka zvinonzi pamuviri paShami pacho ndepangu chete

nokuti Shamiso kana aneni zviya anoshamisa

zvokuti haaite kunge kune imwe nguva nenzvimbo

iri nani muupenyu hwose hwatinoziva kunze kwepandiri.

Kwanzi kana aneni anoseka chikwe-e chaicho chamunoziva

iyo mitezo yake yakaita rurasademo chairwo

kunge pasi pano pasina minzwa, mafeso kana chaguduma.

Zvinonzi kana aneni, Shami anoita seane hama yake chaiyo

asi vozoona kuti hama nehama chaidzo-idzo dzatinoziva

hadzingakwizane mapendekete dzichiswera dzose saizvozvi!

Zvinonzi ndepangu chete pamuviri paShami, hakuna mumwe

nokuti handivhundutswe nenzeve dzake dzave kunjenjemera

kana kusvipa-svipa kwaave kungoita nekusarudza twokudya.

Zvinonzi ini pano husiku chaihwo hwezhizha nokuti

handione kuti dumbu raShami riri kungokura zuva nezuva.

Vanotaura vanoti pamuviri paShamiso ndepangu

nokuti murume nemukadzi havagone kungoshamwaridzana

zvikaperera chete muhurukuro nekuseka nekunzwanana.

Zvanzi chiripo chete chandinoda kubva kunaShamiso

chandinowana nyore-nyore nokuti dzangu dzakatenderera

zvakare dzaShamiwo dzinenge zinyekenyeke sedzangu.

Zvanzi vane nharo ngavamirire chete pachapona Shami

vagoona kuti ini naShami hataingoita zvekuseka chete.

Asika; ini naShamiso tinozviziva zvose izvozvo

ndosaka tichigaroseka zvedu sekunge kusina denga nepasi

tichitofara zvedu sekusina mangwana kana gore rinouya.

 

 

 

 

Chipikiri

Chipikiri chinorohwa nesando

musoro wega-wega uyu.

Chichidzika chichipinda  chichibaya.

Chichirohwa musoro wese uyu.

Chichiimba  chichihuta  chichichema.

Chichidzama  chichitenderera  chichidzika.

Chichirohwa nesando musoro wese iwoyo.

Chichipfidza  chichikumbira ruregerero.

Asi wesando anongoda musoro iwoyo.

Musoro-musoro musoro-musoro chete.

Achiunanga achiurova achiukoma.

Achiimbirira achitukirira achinyetera

Chipikiri chichienda chichidzama.

Chichinoita basa revamwe zvavo.

Chichisiya ngoma inonaka ichingorira

chichiasiya mabhebhi, maruva nemakeke…

 

 

 

 

Shoko Rekupedzisira

Mazwi evana vari kutamba panze apo

ndiro simba redu rasara:

         dai kukaramba kuine zuva

        dai kukaramba kuine mvura

        dai kukaramba kuine mhepo

        dai kukaramba kuine ivhu nembeu

Ndavanzwa ndikati:

        Dai waro kwaramba kuine vana.

 

 

Mazwi emupepeti (Editor’s note)

Kupihwa kwandakaitwa nhetembo dzino naMemory Chirere kuti ndiverenge, rakave rombo rakanaka. Paakazodzoka zvakare kwandiri achiti ndipepete pamwe chete nekuzodziburitsa sebhuku saizvozvi, kwakave kukudzwa kukuru.

Chirere haachisiri chikomana chiya chandakanga ndichidzidzira kunyora nhetembo pamwe nacho tiri vana vechikoro kuUniversity of Zimbabwe kutanga kwema 1990. Iko zvino chitarisai muone! Atotumbuka muchekechera. Kunyora kwake kwave nemuchochororo nezvimbi. Kwave kunyora kwakatsiga kunge mabwe akagarana aunogona kufunga kuti achakuwira, asi iwe usingazive kuti kana naChaminuka akaawana akadaro, akangoasiya akadaro.

 

Mazuva andakashamwaridzana naChirere pamakore edu kuUniversity of Zimbabwe, takanga tichinyora nhetembo nehama dzinenge Chiedza Musengezi naNhamo Mhiripiri, naRuzvidzo Mupfudza, naZvisinei Sandi, naEmmanuel Sigauke, naThabisani Ndlovu, naJoyce Mutiti, naEresina Hwede nevamwe. Aive mazuva ekunakirwa nemukaka wenhetembo, kufanana nemhuru inoyamwa. Takanga tine pfungwa dzizere ngano, netsumo, nemadimikira, nezvirahwe pamwe chete nemabhuku evanyori vakuru vataida zvikuru. Takanga tisati taziva kuti nesuwo rimwe zuva tichazoitawo mabhuku edu asina basa kudai.

 

Kunyora kunobva kure. Tine mazuva atainyora nekuti takanga tichinyenga vasikana vachitiramba. Shungu. Tine mazuva atakanga tichinyora nekuti takanga tichisuwa hupenyu hwatakanga takura tiri mahuri kuDande uko kwatinobva, kune makomo eMavhuradonha. Ndiwo mazuva ataiona kuti nenhetembo dzedu dzakafanana nevasikana vacho vatainyenga. Kune nhetembo dzaitiramba, dzimwe dzichititiza. Kune nhetembo dzatairota nedzimwe dzaitishaisa hope. Asi nekufamba kwenguva, pane nhetembo dzatakazoroora, dzikabvuma kuita vana nesu. Saka nhetembo dziri mubhuku rino, hupenyu hwaChirere, imhuri yaChirere, rwendo rwake! Wanaiwo pamunokwana.

 

Pane kuruka tyava, nekuridza tyava zvekuti tsuro, shiri zvese nevanhu zvinovhunduka kuti pane charira kunge pfuti, asi chisiri pfuti zvacho. Pane kurova netyava, kunobvarura ganda, kuchitungidza moto wemarwadzo mukati menyama musingagone kukwenyeka. Ndizvo zvakaita manyorero aChirere izvozvo. Kuita Memory Chirere kunge mango mbishi yekuti ukadya inokukora igokudzidzisa kuti uiremekedze.

 

Pane kunyora kune maonero anodarika kuona kwemaziso. Kunyora kunoita kuti iwe muverengi unzwe ruzha rwekudonha kweumhutu chaiko. Ndiko kunyora kwaChirere mubhuku rino. Kunyora kunouya nemazwi akasiyana-siyana uye asingajairike. Kunyora kunoroya! Kunyora kunokutema nyora paganda ukazivikanwa nevanhu vese kuti wabva kun’anga. Chirere haasi ega! Handizive kuti vangani mukati make. Chirere mutinhimira.

 

Ndinofunga kuti; Zimbabwe haichawana mumwe nyanduri wechiShona anonyora saChirere. Kunyora kunenge kudada, kunenge kutsvinya, kunenge kutamba asi kwausingakoshiwe! Chirere ane chipo chekupaza, kupfudzunura, kutsokodzera nekupisa hunhu hwechinhu chamagara muchiti ndicho nhetembo. Nhetembo dzake dzinofamba nemakumbo dzichibva pamakadzirongedza, dzichienda kunogara pamaifunga kuti hapagarwe kana kusvikwa nenhetembo.

Mubhuku rino hamuna nhetembo dzandingati idzi ndidzo dzinotapira kudarika dzimwe. Nhetembo imwe neimwe mubhuku rino ine masimukiro ayo, nemagariro ayo akasiyana nedzimwe. Bhuku iri rinenge muti wakarembera nemichero yakaibva zvekuti unoshaya kuti ndotangira papi uye kana watanga kudya, unenge usisade kurega kudya. Handikwanise kuti ndisarudze nhetembo imwe chete kuti ndigoti iyi ndiyo yakabata bhuku. Uyewo, handina kuda kuti tiise nhetembo idzi muzvikamu – kwete! Takangoita zarura dzibayane, nekuda kwekuti zvekuronga nhetembo zvinonetsa kana uchishanda nenhetembo dzeshasha dzechimbo dzinenge Chirere.

 

Iwe unogona kufunga kuti nhetembo yake iri kutaura nezverudo, asi ukaramba uchiipindura mupfungwa dzako, ndipo pauchazoona kuti kwete – inogona kunge iri kutotaura nezverufu kana nezvematongerwo emusha! Zvakarewo, handibvume kuti kana nyanduri achikupai nhapitapi yemuchero wenhetembo, akumenyerei, obva akutsengerai, imi mozongomedza chete. Kwete. Zvibayei mega mungazoti mupepeti akaipa.

 

Kubudikidza nebhuku rino, Chirere avhura chitsauko chitsva pamanyorerwo nemashandisirwo enhetembo muZimbabwe. Pano pari kushandiswa mazwi mashomashoma akatetepa ayo aunogaroshandisawo iwe zvako mazuva ose. Bhuku Risina Basa Mazwi ari pano akashandiswa zvisina mutsimba zvekuti unogona kufunga kuti kunyora detembo kwakareruka sekunhonga mari munzira. Madetembo mapfupi aya akanyorerwa kuti akubatsire kuzvibvunza kuti: ndini ani, ndiri kuenda nekubva kupi, ndinodei panyika uye zvandinoita zviye ndinozviitirei? Pfungwa huru yebhuku iri ndeyekuti; funga, funga, funga! Funga usingamhanye, usingavhunduke. Kanawo izvi zvirizvo zvakasanganikwa nemumwe mundangariro nemuhupenyu, iwe sanganawo nazvo asi muri mubhuku! Ndinovimba kuti vana vedu muZimbabwe, kubva pafomu yechitatu zvichikwira, vachadzidza nekutapirirwa nemudyandakasungwa uyu. Bhuku ndiro risina basa, asi nhetembo dzirimo dzine basa! Dzakanyorwa masikati asi verengai zvenyu chero nguva.

+Ignatius T. Mabasa, Harare, 2014

Here is a link to a review of Bhuku Risina Basa: Diary of a 45 Year Old Poet - Zimbo Jam

A link to a second book review: Interfacing with Memory Chirere in verse – NewsDay Zimbabwe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MISQUOTED, a memoir by Desmond Kumbuka

 

 

Title: ‘Misquoted’: a Personal Experience in Journalism

Author: Desmond Kumbuka

Published by Passpoint Publishers Private Limited, Harare, 2020

Isbn:0 36000291452,210 pages.

 Book Review by Memory Chirere

Desmond Kumbuka indicates on the blurb that his book is “not journalism text book and does not pretend to be one.” I agree with him entirely.  I however think that this memoir becomes many other things, becoming even more useful than the ordinary journalism text book. This is a story about what journalism has taught one man. It is a story about the good and bad goings on in the back stage of journalism.

 

For those into Media in Zimbabwe studies and the connoisseurs of journalism in Zimbabwe, Kumbuka’s book offers what I could call an intelligent peek into the  who is who of key media personalities in Zambia and Zimbabwe, in the past forty years. The rich thread takes you from the mournful doe eyed Emmanuel Nyirenda, the irascible Vincent Mijoni, Adam Hamiwe, Giles Kuimba, Eric Richmond, Keith Simpson, Bill Saidi, Tonic Sakaike, Gilbert Mawarire, Stephen Mpofu, Davison Maruziva, Bester Kanyama, Douglas Takundwa, Chen Chimutengwende, Willie Dzawanda Musarurwa, Bornwell Chakaodza to Geofrey Nyarota and many others. It is more of an evaluation sheet through which you see the rise and fall of an array of characters and organisations in the local media.    

 

I could not put this book down from the moment I first held it. Sometimes I took a break just in order to laugh or to shake my head in disbelief. Here is a book that reads like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. A book with the capacity to arm many young journalists with the do’s and don’ts of journalism, albeit in very subtle ways.  In this story, the hero (Kumbuka) seems to be always falling into one misfortune after another, just like Pimbirimano from the Shona folk lore, but always getting out of trouble through his own resourcefulness, only to fall into a much bigger misfortune – on and on, without the possibility of a happily ever after.

 

Look at this: sometime in 1976, young reporter Desmond Kumbuka, who is coming from a nasty pub fight, walks home with a very ugly black eye. He is asked by his editor to attend a press conference at President Kenneth Kaunda’s State House. To hide this embarrassing injury, Kumbuka hurriedly acquires a pair of dark glasses on the streets of Lusaka. But President Kaunda singles out the suspicious young man with ill fitting dark goggles in the crowd and loudly offers to help him acquire appropriate spectacles. The President genuinely thinks that the young journalist has a real eye problem. Later, Kumbuka writes a letter thanking Kaunda for his kindness for he went to see the offered eye specialist. But Kaunda is not done. He writes back to poor Kumbuka, saying the young man’s letter was sincere and that “I (Kaunda) value your letter so much that I am asking you to sign it for you forgot to do that. I would wish to have it back for my personal file.” Journalists rarely receive such attention from heads of state.

 

It is while at the Zambia Daily Mail that Kumbuka is accused of actually misquoting a whole Police Commissioner of Zambia, one Fabiano Chela. Kumbuka story had made it on the front page of the daily, claiming that the Commissioner had actually said that the Zambian police force was full of criminals! The tragic headline read: “CRIMINALS RECRUITED IN THE POLICE FORCE - CHELA.”

 

Kumbuka is dragged before the feared police commissioner, regardless of the fact that the commissioner himself had told Kumbuka that “it is very possible (that criminals could be recruited into the Zambian police). We are not God. So how would we know whether one has criminal tendencies unless they have a criminal record on our data-base? It is possible to recruit criminals as police officers…”

 

Desmond Kumbuka is instantly dismissed from the Zambia Daily Mail. And the lesson learnt? “In the complex game of politics and corporate gamesmanship, it is not uncommon for a supposedly responsible national leader… to vigorously, and usually with a straight face, disown reports of actions or words attributed to them in the media, if such reports or actions expose them…

 

Kumbuka also admits somewhere in this book that reads like a thriller that; as a young journalist, he had the rather romantic notion that you find in most young journalists that a good reporter is that brusque, rough living, hard drinking and roguish character who causes the authorities headaches with probing and incisive questioning and articles that leave government officials with the proverbial egg on their faces.

 

He admits too to having a long affair with crime literature, through reading the likes of Spaghetti thrillers, James Hardley Chase, Mickey Spillane, Oliver Strange, Wilbur Smith, Mario Puzo and others, leading Kumbuka to enjoy crime reporting. At some point Kumbuka would actually join the police during their patrols so that he is acquainted with the crimes and the criminals he so much liked to write about. Clearly, this means a reporter ought to have an inherent interest in an area of his chosen specialization.

 

But discipline was not one of the strong points of young Kumbuka. In his next post at the Mining Mirror, a newspaper based in Mufulira, a small mining town bordering the then Zaire and Zambia, Kumbuka joins colleagues to drink regularly across the border in Mokambo. They have a nice time with buxom Congolese women “with their ample bosoms and rather accommodating proclivities.” It turns out that the guys are spending the proceeds from the sales of the paper, with the hope of repaying the money on the Monday, which was a pay day. On a Saturday, way before pay day, the Editor in Chief in distant Ndola, instructs them to bring the money to Ndola “right now!” Kumbuka and his colleagues get fired for it. He is back on the streets and the misery of a man in a foreign country is evident.

 

But Kumbuka’s life has not only known the down turns, which include sleeping in the open and in noisy 24 hour bars due to lack of accommodation. Life has taken Kumbuka to many very respectable stages. It is a life well lived. After Zimbabwe’s independence, Kumbuka finds himself at the eminent Sunday Mail in Harare, where he quickly establishes himself as a reporter and columnist, later taking over from Henry Maarsdop, a prolific columnist who penned a popular Sunday column called ‘Henry Maarsdop on Sunday.’ Kumbuka’s own column became known as ‘Muongorori’s View’ and it ran side by side with the one by Maarsdop.

 

For several years, Kumbuka branched off into public relations. At the inception of the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), Kumbuka founded The Express Newspaper in Chitungwiza along with several other weeklies. He also found himself at what became the Daily News and Daily News on Sunday. Prior to his stint with ANZ, Kumbuka was also involved in the establishment of another newspaper, the Daily Gazette for which he was Deputy Editor.

 

It is very interesting that although Geofrey Nyarota ably edited this book alongside Ruby Magosvongwe of the University of Zimbabwe, Nyarota himself is not spared in this book. He is given his due; praised here and blasted, whenever Kumbuka thinks it is necessary. That Nyarota has allowed this to stand as it is, is a plus for Nyarota! ‘Misquoted’ is the most informative book that I read in 2020. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

something coming soon-.

memory chirere. picture
by shasha chirere