Innocent Mjintu
| Innocent Mjintu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Known for | Being a Sungura musician |
| Spouse(s) | Enita (1992-2017) |
| Children | Learnmore Mjintu |
Innocent Mjintu is a Zimbabwean musician known for being a guitarist. Mjintu who worked with Leonard Dembo, Tedious Matsito, Nyaminyami Sounds among other groups became popular when he joined Alick Macheso's Orchestra Mberikwazvo as a rhythm guitarist. After leaving Macheso, Mjintu formed the group Zare.
Background
Innocent Mjintu started playing the guitar when he was in Grade Five.[1]
Wife
Mjintu's wife Enita succumbed to anaemia in March 2017 at Chitungwiza Central Hospital. His in-laws demanded that he pay lobola before they could bury their relative. His in-laws accused him of not paying lobola for 25 years. It emerged that Mjintu only paid damages to Enita's uncle Raphael Sibanda without paying lobola to Enita's father.
Mjintu said he paid a sum of Z$1500 to her uncles in 1992. Mjintu's wife was eventually buried after the matter was resolved.[2]
Children
Mjintu has a son named Learnmore who is also a musician. Mjintu and Learnmore worked together as part of the group Zare.[3] He also has a daughter.[2]
Music Career
Innocent Mjintu worked with Leonard Dembo, Tedious Matsito, Nyaminyami Sounds but became popular when he joined Alick Macheso's Orchestra Mberikwazvo.
Just as he was working on the Chitekete album, Leonard Dembo was abandoned by band members and was forced to start rebuilding. One of the musicians he scouted and recruited was Innocent Mjintu who at the time was a teenager.[4]
Mjintu helped structure Dembo's group Barura Express in the 1980s. He joined Alick Macheso after Barura Express struggled to find its footing soon after the demise of Leonard Dembo.
After leaving Orchestra Mberikwazvo, Mjintu formed the group Zimbabwe African Rhythm Experts simply known as Zare and began working with his son Learnmore.
Though Mjintu's group Zare released two albums, they could not make much impact on the local scene and he was forced to join Mutodi Express under the leadership of Energy Mutodi.
In 2017, Mjintu released a five-track album titled Tsaka with songs in both Shona and Ndebele.[3][1]
Macheso allegedly dismissed Mujintu from Orchestra Mberikwazvo on New Year's Day in 2009, after he had been informed of Mjintu's plans to go solo. Speaking to the media after his public sacking, Mjintu said the development had shocked him because it was so unexpected.
He released his debut solo album Ndafunga Barura which he said was dedicated to the late Leonard Dembo. The album was marketed and distributed by the Record and Tape Promotions (RTP) record company.[5]
Discography
Albums
- Ndafunga Barura (2009)
- Tsaka (2017)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Innocent Mjintu at the crossroads, The Sunday Mail, Published: April 6, 2014, Retrieved: August 19, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 25 YEARS NO LOBOLA, H-Metro, Published: March 31, 2021, Retrieved: August 19, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tawanda Marwizi, Mjintu back with new album, The Herald, Published: August 21, 2017, Retrieved: August 19, 2021
- ↑ Sungura Central, Twitter, Published: April 25, 2020, Retrieved: August 19, 2021
- ↑ Sacked Zimbabwe Musician Strikes Out on his Own, VOA, Published: October 27, 2009, Retrieved: August 19, 2021
