Harare – Sungura maestro Alick Macheso abruptly ended his performance at Jongwe Corner on Sunday evening after receiving the devastating news of fellow musician Tatenda Pinjisi’s death. The show, which also featured Selmor Mtukudzi, was brought to a standstill as the tragic news rippled through the crowd.
Macheso, the headline act of the family show, was in the midst of his performance when someone rushed to the stage to inform him of Pinjisi’s passing. Known for his energetic and captivating stage presence, Macheso’s demeanor instantly changed upon hearing the news.
The news was met with stunned silence as Macheso, clearly emotional, then performed Pinjisi’s popular track, Saina. After the performance, he sat down next to his drummer before eventually leaving the stage, allowing his Orchestra Mberikwazvo band members to finish the song they were performing.
“Because if this is true, we just say God is the one who knows why,” he added, his voice heavy with grief.
Macheso later issued a statement expressing his condolences to the Pinjisi family and the families of the other three victims who perished in the accident on Friday.
“(IMPFA NIMULANDI)
Rufu imbavha, kuti torera umwe wedu kutisiya tichichema amayo.
Tinoti ne matambudziko kumhuri yekwa PINJISI ne kurasikirwa kwataitwa ne umwe wedu Tatenda Pinjisi.
Ronda racho rawasiya rinorwadza vanosara .
R.I.P.
Pamwepo, neku mhuri yekwa Naison Tembo, nematambudziko.”
The tragic news of Pinjisi’s death has been compounded by the emergence of a heartbreaking video circulating on social media. The video, reportedly taken shortly before his death at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital on Sunday, shows the 34-year-old musician pleading for Pain-eeze, a common pain reliever used to treat mild to moderate pain and fever.
WATCH | A heartbreaking video of musician Tatenda Pinjisi (34), who passed away on Sunday at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital from injuries he got in an accident near the Norton Tollgate on Friday while on his way to Kadoma for a show, has left many people heartbroken. In the video,… pic.twitter.com/ln3hOWlzV8
— Crime Watch Zimbabwe (@crimewatchzw) April 15, 2025
The video has sparked outrage and grief, with many Zimbabweans expressing their sorrow and highlighting the dire conditions reportedly present at the hospital at the time of his death. Reports indicate that the hospital was experiencing a power outage, forcing nurses to use their mobile phones to provide light.
Pinjisi, a talented sungura musician, sustained severe injuries in a road accident near the Norton Tollgate on Friday while travelling to Kadoma for a performance. Tragically, two of his band members and a female passenger, who was picked up at the Harare Showgrounds, died at the scene of the accident.
Family spokesperson and fellow musician Howard Pinjisi confirmed that Tatenda Pinjisi will be buried in Mutoko tomorrow. “My younger brother will be buried on Wednesday in Kahwa Village, Mutoko, after all the paperwork has been completed,” he said. “His body will be taken to Mutoko on Tuesday (today), where it will lie in state before the burial on Wednesday.”
Howard described the family as “heartbroken” by the loss, noting that Tatenda was still young and a breadwinner, leaving behind a young family.
He further described Tatenda, a former member of Holy Super Sounds, as a talented and fun-loving individual. “To be honest, Tatenda was a fun-loving person, always jovial and cracking jokes. In terms of talent, he was a cut above the rest, and we will certainly miss him. He died at a time when we were planning to record a song together, but God had other plans,” he said.
The loss of Tatenda Pinjisi has sent a wave of grief through Zimbabwe’s music community and beyond. His talent, jovial spirit, and contributions to the sungura genre will be sorely missed.
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