Zimbabwe's ‘Doctor Love’ Paul Matavire dies

ONE of Zimbabwe’s finest musicians to emerge after the country gained independence from its former colonial master, Britain in 1980, Paul Matavire aka Dr Love has died.The vibrant musician whose limit was the sky died at the age 44 on Thursday night at his farm in Rutenga, Masvingo.

A family member in Harare who preferred not to be named confirmed the death of the blind singer whose deep lyrics earned him the nickname ‘Dr Love."

Matavire became blind after suffering from glaucoma as a child. Glaucoma is increased pressure in the eyeball that causes blindness.

“He has had been unwell for sometime, but of late he was feeling better and it really came as a shock to hear that he had died. He is said to have died at his farm in Rutenga,” the relative said. She said funeral arrangements would be announced in due course although it was expected he would be buried at his farm along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway.

Matavire rose to prominence in the 1980s when he joined the Jairos Jiri Band based in Bulawayo at Jairos Jiri Rehabilitation Centre.

The band played jit and rhumba music and recorded most of its songs with Gramma Records and ZMC.

A spokesperson at Gramma, Silvanos Mutizwa, said he learnt of Matavire’s death over the radio.

“We have been robbed of a gentleman whom we worked with amicably for a long time,” said Mutizwa.

An administrator with the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMRA), Mary Jaure said the country had been robbed of a talented performer who did a lot to uplift the arts industry. “He was one of the pioneer members of ZIMRA and everybody knows that he was such a talented artist. It is a great loss to the country,” said Jaure. Matavire, who at the time of his death had more than 13 albums under his belt, would be remembered for his songs that were rich in social commentary.

His last project released in 2004, Zimbe remoto, was a duet with South African mega star, Freddy Gwala.

During the peak of his musical career, Matavire toured the world and produced hit songs like Dhindindi Full Time, Chapuka Ndipe Mwenje, MaU, KwaChiundura and Nhamo Yeusavi that made him.

However, their success was interrupted by Matavire’s one-year incarceration on rape charges. The band commemorated his 1991 release with the song Back from College, which chronicled his experiences in jail.

A beneficiary of the land reform programme, Matavire was now more into farming. He was reported to be seriously ill from an undisclosed ailment last month and was admitted at a private clinic in Masvingo from February 11 to February 15.

Zimbabweans make condom bangles

In Zimbabwe, enterprising traders are making money by turning female condoms into brightly-coloured bangles. The rubber rings are removed from the condoms and made into fashion items. Although it is profitable for the vendors, those involved in the distribution of the heavily-subsidised condoms want to end the practice.

One shopper in central Harare said: "They're pretty. I used to wear them until I discovered they were made from condoms. Then I threw them away."

Alfred, who also sells watches, batteries and necklaces, sells a packet of three bangles for Z$10,000 (US$2).

"We get them for free from hospitals and clinics. Then we cut the plastic off, just leaving the band, which we repaint in bright colours - pink, yellow, red."

The government makes condoms available free of charge at health centres throughout the country as part of the fight against HIV/ Aids.

An estimated 25% of adult Zimbabweans are HIV positive.

Zimbabwe is one of the leading users of female condoms in southern Africa, using almost one million every year.

Concerned

Aid agency Population Services International (PSI) distributes subsidised female condoms to pharmacies and hair salons, where they cost around two US cents each.

PSI's Yasmin Madan says the female condoms are more expensive to make than male condoms and so there is pressure from donors to ensure they are used properly.

"When we hear such stories, we do get concerned and we act straight away," she said.

The business of turning female condoms into fashion accessories may die down soon, but whatever the rights and wrongs, it certainly shows that Zimbabweans are creative and resourceful people.

Zimbabwe discovers female athlete is a man

IN one of the biggest scandals to rock Zimbabwean sport, a male athlete,
Samukeliso Sithole, masqueraded as a female and represented the country
in international events raking in millions of dollars.

The discovery of the deception has left authorities baffled.

Sithole's female friend has since filed crimen injuria charges against
the top Zimbabwe and Lancashire Steel Athletics Club runner after she
undressed in his full view being under the impression that he was a
woman like her.

The athlete was immediately arrested by Mbizo police on being found out
following which he was arraigned before Kwekwe magistrate Mrs
Siphathimisiwe Makuvaza on February 4 on two counts of crimen injuria
and impersonation.

The State, led by Mr Tapfumaneyi Michael Nkonde, will allege that on
January 14 2005, Sithole of 175 Lancashire Steel Compound, dressed as a
woman, befriended Ms Melita Mudondiro of 124/9 Mbizo in Kwekwe.

It is further alleged that on the same day, Sithole visited Ms Mudondiro
at her residence.

When he entered the house, Ms Mudondiro was in a state of nudity or
semi-nudity, but was not moved or alarmed by Sithole's presence as her
"new friend" had led her to believe that he was female.

On January 15 2005, the accused purporting to be a female, went back to
Ms Mudondiro's Mbizo house again in a female attire. The complainant
undressed in the presence of the accused and then went to bath.

All along she was under the impression that Sithole was a woman because
of his feminine features and dressing.

The complainant returned from the bathroom wrapped in a towel and
entered her bedroom where the accused was seated. She unwrapped herself
and remained naked in full view of the accused.

She later dressed up in the presence of the complainant and they were
later joined by three friends - Chipo Nyoni, Violet Chinyere and Comfort
Chigayo.

The State alleges that the five "friends" left Ms Mudondiro's house for
the railway station where they intended to board a train to Bulawayo to
attend an athletics meeting in the city.

On arrival at the station, the five friends were met by a Mr Mkandla,
who informed the women that their "friend" Sithole was not female, but
was actually a man.

On hearing this, the accused, like the athlete he is, took to his heels,
but was chased and caught by Mr Mkandla, who handed him over to the
police.

He was taken to Kwekwe General Hospital where a doctor who examined him
confirmed that he was indeed a man.

The State will also allege that Sithole impaired the dignity of a female
friend.

He was remanded to March 3 for trial.

Prosecutor Mr Nkonde said the court had found it difficult in deciding
whether to remand Sithole in custody in male or female cells as he was
adamant that he was a woman yet the doctor's report had revealed he was
a man.

In his defence, Sithole told the court that he was born with both female
and male organs. The athlete added that his parents then consulted a
Chipinge traditional healer who gave them some herbs following which he
assumed female status.

However, Sithole further alleges that they only paid half the money
charged for the services rendered by the healer. As a punishment by the
traditional healer for them to pay up the outstanding bill, the male
organ only developed recently, he said.

He told the court that he was scheduled to settle the bill with the
traditional on his trial day and this would have resulted in him
reverting to the female gender.

The top Zimbabwean athlete told the court that he had a boyfriend.

Sithole is a successful athlete and has in the past few years amassed a
lot of wealth and bought several undeveloped stands and properties in
Kwekwe, according to court officials.

He also bought several beasts with his earnings from athletics.

Sithole competed in international events as a female. The athlete, who
is multi-talented, competed in triple jump, javelin, shot-putt and
running grabbing gold and silver medals.

The athlete's latest escapade was when he took part in the Southern
Region Championships in Botswana in June and won the only gold medal for
Zimbabwe.

Dubbed a field events specialist by Radio Mauritius, he scooped five
medals at the youth championship in that country last year.

Court officials said they had never come across such a case before.

The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe, which, as the governing
body of the sporting discipline, sanctioned Sithole's trips, said they
were still investigating the matter.

At home, Sithole made history last year when he scooped five gold medals
and a bronze in long jump, shot-putt, javelin, high jump and 400m
hurdles at provincial youth championships in Masvingo competing as a
female.

Sithole, a product of rural athletics, was brought to Kwekwe after he
was identified in Silobela.