ONCE a household name in the sungura forest, his voice has seemingly faded away.
Back in the days, everyone who would mimic the duo’s all-time hit Tina — released in 1999 — would always attempt vocal imitations of the introductory bass guitar.
But for the past three years, the R&K African Sounds frontman has been eerily silent.
The group comprised Kelvin Chikore and Rangarirai Sagombeto, before the two went separate ways at some stage.
Sagombeto, an enigmatic musician, whose soulful melodies and infectious rhythms captivated audiences across the nation, has been grounded by a mysterious illness that has shrouded his life in uncertainty.
Despite his remarkable career, which was marked by well-attended shows and critically acclaimed albums, his musical journey has been abruptly halted, leaving his fans and the music industry at large in a state of bewilderment.
As the years of silence stretch on, the question on everyone’s mind remains: What happened to the brilliant musician who once brought so much joy and inspiration to countless lives?
Such is the life of Sagombeto (47) — the leader of R&K Africa Sounds band — who rose to stardom as a youngster aged 21 in 1999.
His maiden album Dama Rakanaka, which carried the hit song Tina, serenaded revellers.
The album was well-received, subsequently transforming his life in a short space of time.
He bought a Toyota Hilux, Nissan Caravan and a set of musical instruments all at once.
Fast forward to 2025, his life 26 years on after making a massive breakthrough, Sagombeto is mysteriously sick and his illness is getting worse by the day.
He is now grounded, with no hope for tomorrow.
He has been financially drained.
“It all started in 2022 after I had moved to Beitbridge Border Post, where I was working as a clearing agent. I felt some numbness on my thighs such that it became very difficult to carry out my duties,” he told NewsDay Weekender Life & Style, his voice faintly expressing his point.
“The roles of the job involved a lot of walking crossing the two borders [Zimbabwe and South African side], clearing vehicles, machinery and goods.
“It got to a point whereby I could not even walk for even 50 metres or stand. The most bizarre thing was that despite all the pain that I would be feeling, once I would sit down, everything would become, normal and I would not feel anything.”
The illness forced Sagombeto to head back to Harare, where he sought medical treatment at a hospital.
However, he has not found any joy at all as his condition has not changed.
“I came to Harare to seek treatment and the doctors put me on medication. They urged me to shed some weight and within a short space of time, I had lost 12kg. Instead, my condition worsened.
“The doctors suspected that there was no free circulation of blood. They carried out all the medical laboratory tests and the results came out normal,” the R&K African Sounds frontman said.
“I have tried everything. I have been attending Johanne Masowe eChishanu for the past eight months with the help of William Chapo [fellow musician], where I even went to the extent of wearing Elijah’s cloak, but nothing has improved.
“I have even tried the use of herbs and the herbalist told me that my liver and kidneys might have been affected. So far, I have paid US$600 on herbs. I used not to believe in n’angas, but I ended up visiting them, something that I never imagined I would do one day in my life, but because I am in great pain I took that decision.”
The Tina hitmaker’s financial woes forced him to knock on the doors of some organisations hoping that Lady Luck might smile at him, but no help has come his way.
“Last year, I went to the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association [Zimura] with the hope that I might get some assistance or my royalties from them,” he said.
“At the reception I met one Catherine, who handed me over to her superiors who then told me that they, only help those in the intensive care unit.”
With such response, Sagombeto became stranded as he thought Zimura was going to be his saviour in shining armour.
Now he is stuck at home and financially drained as he has spent more than US$3 000 towards his medical bills.
On top of that, he is also expected to put food on the table to feed his family.
“A lot is happening in my life. It looks like almost everything that I try to work on gets locked as if a spell has been cast on me. I ventured into music and it worked, but all my tools are gone. I went into clearing agent, got ill and I am in this mess.
“Last year, my friend introduced me to mining in Shangani, Matabeleland province, but I lasted two weeks and my health deteriorated heavily. I ended up going back home (Harare),” he said.
“Since last year, I have been trying to record a single, Zvakaendwa, just for the sake of my fans to know that I am still there. I started with producer Marcelo, Oskid, Makumbe Productions and Jabulani Ndlovu, but nothing has worked.
“It’s just problem after another and I have no idea how and when this will end. Even in the family, things are not well. I know people die, but it becomes mysterious when more than six people die in a single year and it’s sad and scary to say the least.
“I have tried everything, from consulting prophets and n’angas. Last year on my way to Zambia to buy medication, I mysteriously lost my passport at the border and I had to go back home empty-handed.”
He added: “Financially, I am now drained and do not know what tomorrow holds.”
Despite all these problems, Sagombeto is hopeful that one day, his health will be back to normal so that he can restart his musical career.
Already, he has four unrecorded albums, which he plans to unleash annually, but his condition and financial challenges are the biggest hindrance.
Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association president Johannes Marisa, who has helped many musicians including sungura great Nicholas “Senior Lecturer” Zacharia, said: “This is likely to be a neurological disorder, with the involvement of nerves. We have so many conditions that can give such.
“Vitamin B12 deficiency, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Gullain-Barre Syndrome, Nerve degenerative disease so these should be eliminated from investigations.
“I suggest doing basic investigations like Vitamin B12 levels, Electromyography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging.”
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe communications and marketing manager Agga Nyabinde urged musicians to register with their organisation so that they can be assisted in times of need.
“We always encourage artistes to register with us and we can be able to empower them while they are still practising so that they prepare for times like this,” he said.
“We will, however, encourage the sector to mobilise support for a fellow colleague who needs our help.”
During Sagombeto’s peak together with his cousin Chikore, they released scorchers of albums, which include Dama Rakanaka (1999), Raramo (2000), Parwendo (2001), Garisano (2005) and Kamusambo (2010).
Today, Sagombeto’s remarkable musical journey, which once captivated audiences and inspired a generation, has been tragically interrupted by a mysterious illness that has left him grounded for three long years.
Despite his tireless efforts to regain his health and creative spark, the silence has been deafening, leaving fans and the music industry wondering if the melodic voice that once brought so much joy will ever be heard again.
Though his musical journey may be on pause, his legacy continues to inspire and the hope remains that one day, his voice will once again fill the airwaves, bringing solace, inspiration and melody back into our lives.