TODAY IN HISTORY: Legendary Zim musician Leornad Dembo dies

Legendary musician, Leonard Dembo passed away on Tuesday April 9 1996.

Sometime in early 1995, after a performance at Makoni shopping centre, Leonard went home and had a nose bleed.

He is said to have lost so much blood such that when he stopped bleeding he started having a splitting headache, a headache which was so severe that at times he could not see, and at times not hear.

The headache was to persist through to the beginning of 1996, such that in April he was admitted to the Avenues Clinic.

*HERE ARE FIVE THINGS YOU PROBABLY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT LEONARD DEMBO:*

◼️ Dembo had a sister Ratidzo and brother named Gift although his mother *Sukai Pasipanodya* had one child before he met Leonard’s father and three other children after Dembo’s father died.

◼️ He had three children with his wife Eunice Munatsi; *Tendai*, *Morgan* and *Fenny Vee Dembo*.

◼️ According to his wife, even though Dembo could read and write, not even one song was written down. Recalling how *Leonard Dembo* would come up with his songs, Eunice said.

“He could wake up in the middle of the night and start singing and recording on his Walkman, saying that he was dreaming a song and its tunes and fearful that he might forget them if he waited for the following morning.”_

◼️ His song _Chitekete_ was voted Zimbabwe’s Silver Jubilee Best Song ahead of other outstanding tracks ever produced in Zimbabwe such as _Mugove_ by Leonard Zhakata.

◼️ Dembo is believed to have recorded only two videos, but it was however reported that his family has secret videos of some of his live shows which he held in Chitungwiza, Gweru and Mbare. -Pindula