Ezekiel Handinawangu Guti, was a prominent Zimbabwean pastor and the founder and president of Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) best known for his ministry that had a significant impact on the growth of Christianity in Zimbabwe and across Africa. Guti's journey in ministry began in the early 1960s when he experienced a divine calling to establish a church that would bring transformation to the lives of people. In 1960, he founded ZAOGA, which grew from humble beginnings to become one of ... moreEzekiel Handinawangu Guti, was a prominent Zimbabwean pastor and the founder and president of Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) best known for his ministry that had a significant impact on the growth of Christianity in Zimbabwe and across Africa. Guti's journey in ministry began in the early 1960s when he experienced a divine calling to establish a church that would bring transformation to the lives of people. In 1960, he founded ZAOGA, which grew from humble beginnings to become one of the largest Pentecostal movements in Zimbabwe. Under Guti's leadership, ZAOGA expanded beyond Zimbabwe's borders and established a presence in over 140 countries, with millions of followers worldwide. Guti's vision extended beyond the church. He founded seven Bible colleges named Africa Multi-Nation For Christ College, with three in Zimbabwe, two in Mozambique, one each in Zambia and Ghana. He also founded Forward in Faith Children’s Home, Children's Ministry, Forward in Faith Christian College (Christ for Zimbabwe College secondary school), Africa Christian Business Fellowship, the Gracious Women's Fellowship, along with the Husband's Agape International Fellowship. Guti emphasized the importance of education and was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions, including the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU). He himself was a holder of various degrees, including a PhD in Religion. He also authored more than 50 books through out his lifetime.
Here is the man who lived a century doing God's work the way he knows best, he fought a good fight, a great warrior of faith. A prominent evangelist and cleric, Bishop Guti founded ZAOGA Forward in Faith International Ministries in 1960, growing the ministry over the years to some 57 administrative districts in more than 100 countries. Guti celebrated his centenary birthday on May 5 2023, with President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa in attendance. Guti is credited as the author of over a dozen ... moreHere is the man who lived a century doing God's work the way he knows best, he fought a good fight, a great warrior of faith. A prominent evangelist and cleric, Bishop Guti founded ZAOGA Forward in Faith International Ministries in 1960, growing the ministry over the years to some 57 administrative districts in more than 100 countries. Guti celebrated his centenary birthday on May 5 2023, with President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa in attendance. Guti is credited as the author of over a dozen Christian books and oversaw the construction of the Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Harare, which opened its doors in 2012. In 2012, he established the Ezekiel Guti University in Bindura, reportedly at a cost of US$100 million. He and his wife, Eunor Guti, were the joint chancellors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh03iChiaJU
Stella Rambisai Chiweshe Nekati popularly known as Mbuya Stella Chiweshe, was an award winning Zimbabwean musician who was one of few female Mbira players who played the mbira dzavadzimu, a traditional instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe in the 1960s. Chiweshe was born in Mujumi Village in Mhondoro where her great uncle taught her how to play after being turned away by numerous teachers because there were social taboos against women playing the instrument. Her recording career began in t... moreStella Rambisai Chiweshe Nekati popularly known as Mbuya Stella Chiweshe, was an award winning Zimbabwean musician who was one of few female Mbira players who played the mbira dzavadzimu, a traditional instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe in the 1960s. Chiweshe was born in Mujumi Village in Mhondoro where her great uncle taught her how to play after being turned away by numerous teachers because there were social taboos against women playing the instrument. Her recording career began in the 1970s with the release of her single Kasahwa in 1974. Her music supported nationalists, women's rights causes and the Zimbabwe liberation struggle against the British government. In 1981 Chiweshe joined the National Dance Company of Zimbabwe, playing the mbira, and toured with them internationally. She was instrumental in the creation of the Zimbabwe Musician Union. Chiweshe played internationally in German and in the WOMAD festival multiple times. She won numerous awards during her career including the Billboard Music Award in 1993 and National Arts Merit Award Lifetime Achievement Award. She will be remembered as one of the greatest Mbira musicians of her time.
Soul Jah Love was an award-winning Zimbabwean artist credited as one of the pioneers of mainstream ZimDancehall. Often called Chibaba (loosely translated The Father) by his fans, Soul Jah Love had a rare, unique talent which made his songs to have deep meaning and introspect on certain aspects of life for many, especially Zimbabwean ghetto youths. He was undoubtedly one the most creative artists in the genre which made many to draw comparisons of him with Jamaican Vybz Kartel.
Soul Jah Love cat... moreSoul Jah Love was an award-winning Zimbabwean artist credited as one of the pioneers of mainstream ZimDancehall. Often called Chibaba (loosely translated The Father) by his fans, Soul Jah Love had a rare, unique talent which made his songs to have deep meaning and introspect on certain aspects of life for many, especially Zimbabwean ghetto youths. He was undoubtedly one the most creative artists in the genre which made many to draw comparisons of him with Jamaican Vybz Kartel.
Soul Jah Love catapulted into fame in early 2012 with singles "Ndini Uya uya" and "Gum-kum" which enjoyed wide radio play and got him a ZimDancehall Award accolade for Best Upcoming Artist. He followed up and released countless songs which were popular, with most of the songs reflecting his personal life like hit songs such as Pamamonya Ipapo, Dai Hupenyu Hwaitengwa, Zvihombe Zviri Pandiri, Kana Ndafa. He was known for making the "Chibabababa", "Hauite Hauite", "Conquering" and "Mafundan'a" signature chants which appear in most of his songs and is credited for popular street lingos like Mwana waStembeni, Naka Dhula Daka, Chibaba, Makurwani among others. He used rich language to express himself and inspire his generation as he defied all odds that were stacked against him. The King of ZimDancehall, Soul Jah Love had a mesmerising freestyle style, he could sing about anything, anywhere at any time without a pen and paper.
Born Soul Musaka, his life was plagued with loss, tragedy and tribulations, almost from birth, with his mother dying when he was a toddler, to getting diagnosed with diabetes at 7. His grandmother, who became his guardian, died when he was 10, followed by losing his twin brother John at 15 and his father dying in 2005. At 16 his step-mother had him evicted from the family home and he took to living in the streets of Mbare as a street kid, hence his other self-given nickname Chigunduru. He however had decent education having attended Prospect Primary School and later on Lord Malvern High School where he started showing interest in singing. He once worked in Cape town, South Africa as a waiter and had to come back after falling sick and later became popular Urban Grooves artist, Roki, backing vocalist which is when he started to work on recording his own songs.
Soul Jah Love courted many controversies especially for missing shows which left many of his fans and promoters disappointed many times and in one instance, he took to the stage, chanted: “Chibababa . . . conquering” and left, angering many fans. The media always speculated drug addiction, a problem he was open about, and acknowledged it started when he was a street kid. Between 2015 and 2016, Soul Jah Love’s music career started getting compromised as he continuously failed to pitch up at shows but in February, 2016 in a rare interview with Star FM personality KVG, he took his time to clear the air explaining his health challenges and blamed the drug abuse rumours on his face which he said resembled that of a druggie. In November 2014, he was involved in a stage fight with a fellow dancehall musician Seh Calaz at City Sports Centre in Harare in one of the biggest ZimDancehall bashes where there were about 17,000 fans in attendance. Whilst performing, Soul Jah Love went on to attack Calaz causing mayhem and injuring about ten people when the Zimbabwe Republic Police tried to disperse people using tear gas. At the time, he also went on a spree of firing managers, something his fans felt was due to his drug abuse but he defended his decisions citing his ‘condition’ which some managers failed to appreciate and providing him medication on time. In 2016, he was seriously injured on the way to a concert in Victoria Falls by a car accident in Gweru. In December 2018, it was reported that the musician caused quite a stir on a South African bound flight at the Robert Mugabe International Airport when he was arrested for his unruly conduct on the flight.
His life-story and controversy torn his fans many times but in 2016, knowing fully well how people had lost faith in him because of his constant no-shows, he once shocked many when he performed on a wheelchair with his left leg bandaged due to foot ulcer. He performed his entire set seated in the wheelchair and received sympathy from fans who sang along with him. Soul Jah Love had successful collaborations with a number of locally established musicians including Winky D, Roki, Suluman Chimbetu, Trevor Dongo, Shinsoman, Freeman, Critical, Chill4real, PTK and Cello Culture among others. Soul Jah Love toured in foreign countries such as South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK) and also became one of the few dancehall singers to play alongside a live band (the largest ever after those of Oliver Mtukudzi and Alick Macheso).
He had some business ventures and in 2014 he was appointed brand ambassador for Jan Jam Fashions. In 2015 he started his own record label Conquering Records which consisted of his wife Bounty Lisa, two dance groups Conquering Clark dancers and award wining hip hop dance Hood Crankers and several other artists. Alongside former wife Bounty Lisa, Soul Jah Love also opened a food canteen in Mbare in an effort to augment their revenue with plans to spread the outlets across Harare. He also announced he had gone outside his comfort zone by shooting a movie titled Ndini Uya Uya based on his hit song of the same title that is based on his life story.
Soul Jah Love was once married to fellow ZimDancehall musician Bounty Lisa, real name Lisa Musenyi. The two are believed to have bumped into each other at popular Chill Spot Studios in Matapi Flats in Mbare. The two did some collaborations together on a number of songs while they were husband and wife. It was reported that Soul Jah Love turned violent and went on a rampage after taking an undisclosed drug assaulting his wife Bounty Lisa using fists and an iron bar accusing her of infidelity and of carrying another man’s child. However, Bounty Lisa disputed the accusation saying that she was not even pregnant and blamed the unknown drug for causing Soul Jah Love to become paranoid. He and Bounty Lisa got divorced. Bounty Lisa remarried and successfully conceived a child and he released a song called “Ndichavigwa Ne Gonzo” in which he expressed how deep he wanted a child of his own. Soul Jah Love remained single and heartbroken as he claimed that he was still in love with Bounty Lisa.
Soul Jah Love died on 16 February 2021; the musician was pronounced dead upon arrival at Mbuya Dorcas Hospital where he was taken by his friends after succumbing to diabetes. According to a doctor’s report, he had no pulse upon admission and his sugar was high. Soul Jah Love will be remembered as one gifted artist and entertainer whose diverse lyrics touched the hearts of all age groups, from the young to the old in Zimbabwe. His life is reflective of how challenging life can be but with dedication and focus one can still achieve success beyond their wildest dreams.
Soul Jah Love was conferred a liberation hero status for his role in actively advocating for the emancipation and liberation of people in post-independence Zimbabwe. He received government assisted funeral and burial at the Warren Hills Cemetery (Provincial Heroes Acre). Traditionally in Zimbabwe the conferment of the liberation hero status was restricted to people heavily aligned to politics and the Zimbabwe liberation struggle. Over the years the conferment has changed in form and context and Soul Jah Love became the first to be declared such for the born-free generation (post independence-Zimbabwe generation, born after April 1980).
Panashe Nhemera
Quite a misunderstood young man who lived his life made his choices and enjoyed what he did. To me i found his freestyles to super amped and i don't think the Zim Dancehall fraternity had ever seen anything like talent of this magnitude. Sad moment #MHRIP
JB Matiza was a Zimbabwean politician, also a ZANU-PF Central Committee member who served as Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing under Robert Government and as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development under Emmerson Mnangagwa government. Matiza won election after election as Member of Parliament for his constituency Murehwa South since 1998 and served as Mashonaland East Resident Minister and ZANU-PF provincial chairman.
Born in Murehwa, Matiza att... moreJB Matiza was a Zimbabwean politician, also a ZANU-PF Central Committee member who served as Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing under Robert Government and as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development under Emmerson Mnangagwa government. Matiza won election after election as Member of Parliament for his constituency Murehwa South since 1998 and served as Mashonaland East Resident Minister and ZANU-PF provincial chairman.
Born in Murehwa, Matiza attended Monte Casino primary school and Murehwa Mission for his secondary education. He 1977 joined the liberation struggle through ZIPRA (Zimbabwe African People’s Revolutionary Army) forces as a cadre in Zambia and used the guerilla name Cde Destroyer Ndlovu. After independence Matiza pursued his education in Nigeria where he attended Federal Govt College Kano (Nigeria) and graduated with a BSc Hons degree in Architecture and an MSc degree in Architecture from Ahmadu Bello University. He was an accomplished Architect and a member of South African Architectural Profession (SAAP and also a Member of Zimbabwe Institute of Architects (MIAZ).
During his tenure in Government under President Mnangagwa’s administration, Minister Matiza pushed for the rehabilitation of roads in the country using local resources and entrusted local companies to undertake the work. Through his ministry, the Government of Zimbabwe embarked on massive road rehabilitation projects of varying magnitudes in every constituency including the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway rehabilitation programme which involved upgrading and widening of the road. This is one of the major infrastructure development projects post-independence which is expected to stretch all the way to Chirundu on the border with Zambia.
Joel Biggie Matiza died from Covid-19 respiratory illness and became a 4th Minister to succumb to the disease within a week. He was survived by wife Lilian and three children; Joel, Joseph and Joshua.
SBMoyo will be remembered for giving a statement to state broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation on 15 November 2017, one day after the house arrest of Mugabe. He denied that a coup had taken place, stating that "the president … and his family are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed", and that the military were "only targeting criminals around [Mugabe] who are committing crimes... that are causing social and economic suffering in the country". Moyo went on to confirm that "[a... moreSBMoyo will be remembered for giving a statement to state broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation on 15 November 2017, one day after the house arrest of Mugabe. He denied that a coup had taken place, stating that "the president … and his family are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed", and that the military were "only targeting criminals around [Mugabe] who are committing crimes... that are causing social and economic suffering in the country". Moyo went on to confirm that "[a]s soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy." Three days later, Moyo gave a vote of thanks to all Zimbabweans that marched in solidarity to remove Mugabe outside State House. The announcement role he played in the army stepping in to remove Robert Mugabe as the president of Zimbabwe, coupled with his youthful appearance, earned him the sobriquet "General Bae". His speech was repeated after every 15 minutes by ZTV and during the intervening period, Chimurenga songs were played. It was an unexpected speech that took the whole world by surprise and drew mixed feelings among Zimbabweans.
SB Moyo as he was affectionately known was a Zimbabwean politician and army general who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International in the cabinet of Emmerson Mnangagwa at the time of his death. He is famously remembered for his appearance on Zimbabwe national television, ZBC TV, to announce the ousting of Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe reign of 37 years and usher in Operation Restore Legacy under the New Dispensation of the second Republic of Zimbabwe led by Emmerson Mnangagwa. Th... moreSB Moyo as he was affectionately known was a Zimbabwean politician and army general who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International in the cabinet of Emmerson Mnangagwa at the time of his death. He is famously remembered for his appearance on Zimbabwe national television, ZBC TV, to announce the ousting of Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe reign of 37 years and usher in Operation Restore Legacy under the New Dispensation of the second Republic of Zimbabwe led by Emmerson Mnangagwa. The announcement role he played in the army stepping in to remove Robert Mugabe as the president of Zimbabwe, coupled with his youthful appearance, earned him the nickname "General Bae" among Zimbabweans.
Born and raised in Mberengwa in 1960 as a third of eight children, he attended Masvingo Primary School and Manama Secondary School. Whilst doing his O’level, he left school for Zambia via Botswana to join the Zimbabwe liberation struggle along with his cousin Air Marshal Elson Moyo in 1977. Whilst in Zambia, he joined ZIPRA and attended a military course at Zambian Military Academy, Kohima. On ceasefire, SB Moyo did not go home straight but went to advance his education in Russia. He was integrated into the Zimbabwe National Army as a captain in 1980 and rose through the ranks to become lieutenant general on retirement in 2017 before his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, a position that he held until the time of his death. Regarded as a fast thinker, intelligent and candid by his peers in government, he was relentless in pursuit of his education which saw him enrolling at the Zimbabwe Military Academy where he furthered his studies after the war, he earned a Masters in International Relations and a PhD in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe, as well as a Masters in Business Administration from the Zimbabwe Open University a feat which was not achieved by many who were part of the liberation struggle.
As Minister in the Cabinet of Emmerson Mnangagwa he will be mostly remembered for his determination to have Zimbabwe re-engage with the international community under the auspices of the New Dispensation’s Engagement and Re-Engagement drive, meant to establish mutually-beneficial relation between Zimbabwe and former allies, as well as new ones. Moyo fought to repair Zimbabwe's battered image internationally, criticizing sanctions against the country and played a pivotal role for the country to register significant diplomatic gains and victories across the globe. He was praised as an astute diplomat whose tenure in office was characterised by high organisational acumen and top-notch people skills.
At the time of his appointment into Emmerson Mnangagwa cabinet, SB Moyo was one of two members who was not a member of parliament (the other being Perrance Shiri). Because of Mayo’s public role in ending the Mugabe regime, there was speculation in the Zimbabwean press that Moyo was tapped by Mnangagwa as his successor. SB Moyo was mentioned in a major United Nations report on the plundering of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo following the war in 1990s. The report alleges that the then speaker of Parliament and former security minister, now president Emmerson Mnangagwa, was the key strategist for Zimbabwe’s business involvement in the DRC. The report claimed Moyo was director-general of Cosleg, a company involved in exploiting diamond mining, logging and banking in the DRC. Cosleg was then described as a combination of Comiex Congo and Osleg — the commercial arm of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces whose full name is Operation Sovereign Legitimacy.
Moyo was married to Loice Matanda, a judge who also served as ZACC, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission chairperson, together, they had two sons. Moyo, who suffered from a kidney condition died in a medical facility in the capital Harare, days after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus which coincided with a surge in the number of cases in the country.
