Yesteryear Sungura musician Kaitano, who mentored Nicholas Zakaria dies

Popular yesteryear sungura musician and mentor Robson Kaitano has died.

Kaitano died on Sunday aged 69, after a long battle with cancer.

Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) chairman Albert Nyathi confirmed Kaitano’s death, saying he will be buried today in Goromonzi.

“As ZIMURA, we are helping with the burial policy arrangements and he will be buried in Goromonzi tomorrow (today),” he said.

“Kaitano was helped by the First Lady. When he got sick in Goromonzi, I went and spoke to the First Lady and she helped a lot. She brought him to Harare and rented a house for him.”

Kaitano was popular in the 1970s with his hit songs — Deredzai Pfuma Vatezvara, Tambai Kongonya, Kuseni Seni and Hondo Yakarwiwa Kare, before First Lady Auxilla Mnangagwa came to his help, he was living the life of a pauper.

In his heyday, Kaitano claims to have mentored and groomed “Madzibaba” Nicholas Zakaria, who is now popularly known as “Senior Lecturer”.