Mokoomba brings music home

Langalakhe Mabena

They are well travelled and they have performed in most parts of Europe, which on its own makes Afro-Fusion band Mokoomba one of the best exports from Zimbabwe to the world.

The name Mokoomba is a screamer to many European Afro-music fanatics, but in their mother country, few know of or have watched and listened to Mokoomba performing live. This is because they haven’t staged many local shows.

However, to cover that gap, the six-member group comprising Mathias Muzaza (lead vocals, percussion), Trustworth Samende (guitar, backing vocals), Abundance Mutori (bass, backing vocals), Donald Moyo (keyboard, backing vocals), Ndaba Coster Moyo (drums, backing vocals) and Miti Mugande (percussion, backing vocals), have embarked on an initiative of creating a local fan base.

The group has come up with a strategy of staging local shows in their home country as a way of “bringing good music closer home”.

So far, they have done shows in Harare and Mutare, they are set to perform in Bulawayo on 23 April at the Munch and Sip event, and they will proceed to their home town Victoria Falls as they will perform at the Victoria Falls Carnival from 28 to 30 April.

One member of the group Trustworth Samende said they were excited to be connecting with their local fans and the reception had been positive.

“We are all about creating good music and as a group we have footprints mostly in Europe but this time around we have decided to do more local shows as a way of connecting with our local fans as well as fostering a relationship with our potential clients.

“We have done a number of shows in Harare and latest in Mutare and the fanbase is growing. On 23 April, we will be performing in Bulawayo at the Munch and Sip event, a gig which we are looking forward to as we last performed in the city of kings five years ago.

“Afterwards, we will return to our beautiful resort city Victoria Falls, where we will be performing at the Carnival and in all these events we promise fireworks,” said Samende.

He said adjusting to performing in front of a local audience had been an easy task.
“We are well known in Europe but it remains a fact that we were created and groomed in Zimbabwe. The exercise of performing to locals is smooth and we enjoy it when we perform to people who connect and understand our style of music.

“When we perform it’s not a big factor whether we perform in Europe or in Zimbabwe as we treat our audience as the same and deliver good music which is the main goal that pushes us as a group. We expect to stage more shows locally before we go back to tour in Europe,” said Samende.

In May, Mokoomba is expected to collaborate with artistes including Thobile Makhoyane (Eswatini), The Hood Brodz (Mozambique) as well as Morena Leraba (Lesotho).