Fund raising for Hohodza band member body repatriation
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Fund raising for Hohodza band member body repatriation

Members of the Zimbabwean community in the United Kingdom are fund raising to help meet the costs of repatriating the body of the late traditional musician Simbarashe Mudzingwa, who died on Friday.

Simba Mudzingwa the family man

Kayleigh,Tinashe and late Simba
Kayleigh,Tinashe and late Simba

According to his former wife, Mudzingwa died in hospital in Swansea after suffering from an undisclosed illness. Friends have since started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to take his body back home to Zimbabwe from the UK.

The campaign is targeting £5000 and by Wednesday afternoon had raised £235. Broadcaster Simbarashe Nyanhanga who is also behind the Miss Zimbabwe UK pageant is leading the fundraising effort on GoFundMe.

Visit the GoFundMe campaign

“While we can/may trade responsibility lines, it is a standing cultural norm that we plead with the community for all form of communal assistance to make the job lighter. On behalf of the Mudzingwa family, I humbly request your generosity to the contribution toward the cause,” Nyanhanga said.

Mourners in the UK are gathered at 14 Ludlow Drive, Leigh WN7 2XT while arrangements in Zimbabwe are underway.

Mudzingwa played with Hohodza, a band formed in 1992 by Portia Gwanzura. He is survived by three children, a son he had with partner Kayleigh Goodier and two older boys by former musician and ex-wife Rhoda Tongogara.

Mudzingwa was the lead vocalist, mbira and keyboard player for Hohodza together with Aluwis Machapo (lead guitar), John Nyahodya (drummer), Patrick Nyakudya (bass guitar, keyboards), Innocent Jack Farai (mbira, percussion), Lloyd Mapfumo (percussion, king dancer), Jane Josiah (backing vocals, dancer) and Lena Mandizera (backing vocals, dancer).

He is famed for his traditional music that saw him recording hits such as “Chinyakare Makaisepi”, “Dzorai Moyo” and “Take Sure”.

Mudzingwa is credited with having “discovered” Progress Chipfumo, backed his incorporation into Hohodza and mentored the now famous musician.

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