Thomas Mapfumo plaque to be erected in Harare
SENIOR LIFESTYLE WRITER
JENAGURU, an arts promotion organisation founded by veteran musician and promoter Clive Malunga, has revealed plans to begin the erection of a plaque in honour of chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo (76).
The chimurenga music legend, who has lived in the United States of America since 2005, has been a key player on the music scene for over four decades.
Malunga told the Daily News that the plaque, to be located at the corner of First Street and George Silundika Avenue, is meant to replace an earlier one erected in the 1990s which was vandalised.
“Jenaguru approached Harare Municipality for approval and the request was granted in 1996. Then, we erected a plaque and it was vandalised. We are resuming the construction work this Wednesday,” Malunga said.
According to a letter from the Harare City Council to Malunga, the plaque will be erected in such a way that it doesn’t obstruct traffic.
“The Harare City Council received a request from Jenaguru to declare Thomas Mapfumo King of Chimurenga Music and have a monument placed in the first street Mall. The monument will be underground covered with hard glass for the public to see through. No obstruction will be caused to pedestrian traffic that uses this part of the mall,” reads part of the letter from City of Harare.
Malunga said the plaque in honour of the instrumental and pioneering role Mapfumo has played in the music industry is part of Jenaguru’s continuing efforts to honour arts legends.
“We should learn to appreciate the role played by our legends and if we fail to do this, we will never reach Canaan as a country,” the Nesango hit maker said.
Malunga is getting assistance to bankroll the project to honour music legends from his Jenaguru Fan Club headed by the veteran musician’s Japan-based manager Tomoko Takahashi. Under the initiative, Malunga has already erected tombstones for musicians such as James Chimombe, Tineyi Chikupo, Solomon Skuza, Jordan Chataika and Susan Mapfumo, among others.
