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The late Cde Dickson “Chinx ” Chingaira

Noel Munzabwa in Manzini, Swaziland
RETIRED Zimbabwe Republic Police brass band member, Gift Masinyane has paid tribute to the late liberation war hero, Cde Chinx for choosing to him to back the production of the popular  song Hondo Yeminda and its video.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Swaziland’s Copa Coca-Cola 2017 held at Manzini Club at the weekend, Masinyane described the video as the major breakthrough that took the police band that had other recording musicians like Wellington Mareva of Mpandawana Riders to the people.

“If anything not many people thought the police band would collaborate in such huge music recordings and thanks to the Hondo Yeminda video the public got to know us and appreciate us as musicians.

“When the late Cde Chinx came to us with the project authorities without hesitation bought the idea and in no time we were down to work. The video made some of us celebrities overnight and I am sure some of the guys like Wellington Mareva benefited.

“We must appreciate Cde Chinx as a selfless character who was equally enthusiastic in collaborating with some musicians as a way of creating better profiles for some of us. We have lost a mentor,” said Masinyane.

He said it was a pity that due to commitments with his Salesian High school brass band he was unable to attend Cde Chinx funeral a few weeks ago.

“I lost a brother, a mentor and pity I couldn’t attend his funeral. I would like to extend my condolences to his family for the big loss,” said Masinyane who has been in Swaziland for the past eight years.

Just last week at the Copa Coca-Cola final held at Manzini Club, he cut a lonely elderly figure among toddlers from Salesian High school as the conductor of the pupils brass band which never missed a beat with the precision we have known from brass bands.

Masinyane said the brass band had become part of his life hence breaking ground with a first school brass band in this mountainous kingdom.

“The brass band is inseparable from me with a career spanning over 30 years. After retirement from Zimbabwe Republic Police, a friend of mine invited me to Swaziland where we initially earmarked helping the police band but that didn’t materialise.

“This friend of mine then introduced me to Salesian High school who quickly bought the idea and incorporated it as part of the school activities. They bought the instruments and coupled by enthusiastic scholars it has made it a lot easier.

“Sometimes we get invitations to functions when the police brass band and other bands from other military services are engaged elsewhere. I am so thankful that the concept has attracted so much attention,” said Masinyane.

The retired policeman said he remained hopeful that the Ministry of Education in Swaziland would engage him on a full-time basis to train the scholars.