Staff Reporter
Africa’s richest traditional healer — Dr Kamwelo Banda — is no novice when it comes to giving back to his community, and he continued his philanthropic efforts with a truly touching move to help musicians start their own businesses to shrug off effects of Covid-19.
The Zimbabwean music sector, in particular, has placed the livelihood of many in the industry in a precarious position. Unlike elsewhere in the world, where artists depend on streams and sales, Zimbabwean artistes rely on tours and live performances locally and abroad.
When things locked down, forcing a ban on events and gatherings, the primary sources of income for artistes were cut.
Many are struggling to make earns meet as the only hope was staging live shows and private events.
And this caught the attention of Dr Banda or Sekuru Banda who together with rapper Stunner, have started income generating projects after they came to comedian — Kapfupi’s rescue.
Kapfupi born Freddy Manjalima recently opened two tuckshops which needed stocking up and thanks to Dr Banda who provided the funds to enable the comedian to buy stock.
Kapfupi was able to shop at a local wholesale in Harare where he bought grocery items worth US$3000 for resale.
Sekuru Banda said the latest donation was a continuation from the first lockdown in March 2020 where he assisted the senior citizens and the vulnerable members of the society with food aid.
“Since last year when government declared a national lockdown, we have been assisting the elderly and other disadvantaged members of our society with groceries, the program has been extended to musicians who have not been spared by the pandemic as they cannot hold live shows, that is why (DJ) Fantan was arrested because he was trying to survive in the process breaching government regulations.
“After noticing that musicians were struggling to eke out a living without staging live shows, we sat down and deliberated on how we could assist them, we then joined hands with Stunner who already had an idea.
“Today we helped Kapfupi and Mai Ngaa to open two shops, so we went to Metro Peech along Seke Road to buy groceries for the couple to start a business.
“Other artists we cannot name now will also be assisted under this initiative.
“I urge everyone else to also emulate this initiative and assist those in need especially during this time of Covid-19,” Dr Banda said.
The popular traditional healer has curved a niche as one of the biggest philanthropist in the country involved in assisting needy people.
Some of the beneficiaries of his charity work include actor Marabha, the late Gringo, former Dynamos talisman George Shaya and former boxing champion Alfonse Zvenyika among others.
He recently volunteered to sponsor Gringo Troublemaker season two in honor of the late award winning actor Gringo who died last year.
Sekuru Banda was recently honoured with an International Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic work.
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