Garakara to become journalist

Joseph Garakara

Prolific sungura musician Joseph Garakara has rubbished rumours that he has taken a music break as his health is deteriorating. The diabetic Idya Banana hitmaker said he was currently concentrating on his studies and would soon return to the fray. 

He is doing a Media Studies’ degree programme with Zimbabwe Open University. “This is my final year. I am fit and fine and as soon as I finish my degree programme I will bounce back.  

“I had been living with this dream of becoming a media practitioner and I am glad my wish is about to be fulfilled,” he said.

He said music was his life and he was currently working on an album entitled Kuti Zvityise which includes songs Size Yakanaka, Always There for You and Panopinda Gonzo. Garakara also said his band Mbama Express was still intact and gearing up to resume live shows. 

“My band is still intact. I have all the members I started with. I am starting live shows in April and I will be touring Gokwe, Chipinge, Zvishavane, Chiredzi and Nyamapanda,” he said. 

Garakara last released an album in 2010 titled Forever Mine before disappearing from the music scene.  In 2008 he cancelled some of his musical shows after he became ill. The primary school teacher rose to fame in 2006 with the song Idya Banana which saw him nominated as winner in the now-defunct ZIMA Awards.