Mbira DzeNharira graces SADC delegates in Harare

By

Constance van Niekerk

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministers of Water last week had a cocktail evening at the Meikles Hotel in Harare. Zimbabwe’s leading mbira group, Mbira DzeNharira, graced the occasion and serenaded the Ministers with their haunting mbira and intricate percussion.

At eight in the morning the opening session of the SADC Ministers of Water began at the Hotel. The last time they had a meeting was on the 30th of May 2013 in Luanda, Angola where they established the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) Council of Ministers, with Zimbabwe designated to host the Commission’s headquarters, the Permanent Secretariat.

Last week was the Official Opening of the Secretariat in Samora Machel Avenue in the Sunshine City. Performing at the opening was the Mbira ensemble of mbira maestro Tendayi Gahamadze, Mbira DzeNharira.

ZAMCOM is comprised of the SADC member countries that share the Zambezi River Basin. It was formed in 2004, its main objective “to promote the equitable and reasonable utilization of the water resources of the Zambezi Watercourse, as well as the efficient management and sustainable development thereof.”

There are 15 member states in the SADC: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Of these, only 8 are members of ZAMCOM. The eight, which are called the Zambezi riparian states are Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and host country Zimbabwe.

Photographs within article are from Simba Nyamudo

Constance van Niekerk

Constance van Niekerk is a South-African based Zimbabwean-born freelance music critic, poet, photographer, educator, creative writer and blogger par excellence. She has written for The Southern Times Newspaper of Namibia as well as Zimbabwe’s foremost daily, The Herald, blogging also on Up Close and Personal with Zim Artists since 2012. Early in 2014 Constance rebranded the blog to L’Afrique Beat to reflect the interests the whole of Africa and create a continental flavour. L’ Afrique Beat features well researched and informative articles on Africa’s musical icons, entertainment, as well as the lifestyle issues of Africa.