Hospital Benefit Concert for Mashakada

This year's edition of the Chitungwiza Central Hospital Benefit Concert to be held on October 21 at the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex will be held in memory of the late musician, Cephas Mashakada, who succumbed to kidney failure and diabetes on August 23. This was revealed by organisers of the annual event, who said it was befitting to host this year's gala in tribute to the musician who was one of the pioneering artistes of the fund-raising concert.

Mashakada's band, The Sounds of the Muddy Face, is also expected to play at the bash with Shemu "Chibage" Mashonganyika, who also doubles up as a dancer, expected to lead on vocals. As has become the norm, sungura giants Alick Macheso, Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria, Hosiah Chipanga, Takesure Muronzi and gospel supremo Baba Mechanic Manyeruke are expected to be part of the line-up while Suluman Chimbetu will feature as a guest performer.

"We have decided to hold this year's fund-raising gala under the theme, ‘Remembering Our Fallen Great Hero Cephas Mashakada' after the late musician who was one of the pioneers of the event. "He contributed a lot in raising funds for this hospital and his death was a great loss to the people of Chitungwiza and the nation at large because they rely on this hospital for treatment.

"We are expecting his group, The Sounds of the Muddy Face, to play at the gala since they have always featured over the past years together with their late leader. "In fact, his widow, (Eunice Mashakada) has promised to keep on supporting the event which her late husband started together with other musicians," Audrey Tasaranarwo, the public relations officer of the hospital, said.

Dr Obadiah Moyo, the chief executive officer of the hospital, said funds to be raised from the concert would go towards the refurbishment of the private wards at the institution. "The money is going to be used to refurbish the private wards. This was one of the wishes from Cephas Mashakada before he died. He said we should concentrate on improving the status of the private wards, and that is the major project we are going to be focusing on this year," he said.

Added Dr Moyo: "We saw him (Mashakada) as a steadfast pillar of fund-raising for the hospital. We hope other artistes will emulate him and we therefore encourage other artistes to come and join the battle because this hospital is not just for themselves but for their community and the whole of Zimbabwe."

Started in 2006, the benefit concert seeks to raise funds to improve the service delivery of the hospital. In the past years, money which was raised from the event was used in improving the hospital's infrastructure, patients' diet, construction of maternity wards and the purchase of drugs, among others. Herald.