VETERAN sungura musician Robson Kaitano was laid to rest at his rural home in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East province, this afternoon with several musicians among them Nicholas ‘Madzibaba’ Zakaria in attendance.
Kaitano died on Sunday after a long battle of cancer. He was 69.
He made his name in the cut-throat circular music industry in the late 1970s with hit songs such as Deredzai Pfuma Vatezvara, Tambai Kongonya, Kuseni Seni and Hondo Yakarwiwa Kare.
Several speakers at the burial, among them musicians Macwillis Foster Khamanga famously known as Mafokofoko and Shepherd Chinyani, described the passing on of Kaitano as a huge loss to the arts fraternity.
“I met Kaitano at Beregon Estate in Mazowe around 1975 and we formed our band. We were later separated by work as I went to work at a farm where I then formed the Khiama Boys,” Zacharia told NewsDay Life & Style.
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Chinyani described the late Kaitano as a legend of sungura music who was also his mentor.
Zimbabwe Music Rights Association executive director Polisile Ncube-Chimhini said Kaitano has been their member for 32 years having joined the organisation in 1991.
“Kaitano received incapacitation benefit during the time of his illness. For his burial, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association has assisted with groceries, coffin (doom casket) and a bus to ferry the mourners”, she said.
The late artiste’s son Paradzai told NewsDay Life & Style that that his father succumbed to cancer.
He is survived by two sons, three daughters and several grandchildren.