Talented Bikita musician becomes voice disabled artists

Ruvarashe Chichera

Disabled upcoming gospel musician,
Clever Gumbo from Ward 32 in Bikita district is stepping up his work with an
ambition to become an ambassador and a voice for other disabled upcoming
artists.

Gumbo is drafting a constitution
for an association called Zimbabwe Association of the Disabled Upcoming Artists
(ZADUA).

Gumbo is a partner of the Centre
for Gender and Community Development in Zimbabwe (CGCDZ), an organization which
is committed to building socio- economic capabilities of community partners
mostly woman and youth for sustainable development in Zimbabwe.

She leads a music group of four
visually-impaired people which has released two albums aimed at showcasing the
talent of people with disabilities and fighting discrimination.

Gumbo said she was pushing hard
to get recognition as she launched the second album titled Nenyasha which
contains songs: Ndakagara Ndazviona,Ndokupupura, Ndidzidziseyi, Mutoro Unorema
and Muri Mutsvene which is the hit song 
on such radio stations as Hevoi Fm , Ya FM, Radio Zimbabwe and National
FM.

She told TellZim News her goal
was to overcome challenges she faces and become a mentor for artists facing the
same challenges.

Gumbo said she also wanted to
help people with disabilities get recognition in the arts industry.

“I have a vision similar to that
of Mtukudzi who built Pakare Paya. I would like to create a centre for disabled
upcoming artists where we will motivate and inspire each other and fight for
the rights of people with disabilities,” said Gumbo.

She expressed disappointment that
people with disabilities are sidelined even in their own spaces and functions
for example at the annually-commemorated International Day of the Disabled where
she feels few disabled artists are honoured or given a chance to perform.

Gumbo said she hoped that well-wishers
will help her so that she could do video-shooting for the new album, buy
instruments and get recognition from music promoters.