Nicholas Zakaria walked a quieter road than many sungura giants. Leonard Dembo became the philosopher king of heartache and longing. Tongai Moyo dazzled crowds with sharp suits and choreographed dance routines.
System Tazvida turned everyday gossip into sharp, humorous social commentary. Zakaria, however, built his brand on steadiness, spirituality and discipline. He stood on stage in white robes, beard flowing, like an apostolic elder.
His guitar lines were clean, tight and never showy for the sake of it. The groove mattered more than individual stardom.
The Senior Lecturer’s Classroom
Many sungura stars fronted bands; Zakaria founded a school. Khiama Boys was less a group and more a university of guitar-driven music. While Dembo perfected his own sound, Zakaria perfected people. He drilled his band in timing, harmony and professional behaviour.
From that discipline came Alick Macheso, future king of live bass wizardry. System Tazvida also passed through, later crafting his witty social commentary style. Others followed, carrying pieces of Zakaria’s method into their own projects. Thus his uniqueness lies not only in songs, but in the musicians he produced.
A Quiet, Enduring Brilliance
Zakaria’s catalogue rarely chased trends or gimmicks. Where Moyo leaned into showmanship, Zakaria leaned into consistency. Where Tazvida joked and teased, Zakaria counselled and warned like a community elder. His lyrics mixed moral advice, everyday struggles and gentle humour. Even as fashions shifted, he kept the same spiritual, grounded persona.
He stayed clear of major scandals and public meltdowns. Instead, he let the work and the band do the talking. Today, Dembo, Moyo and Tazvida are remembered as brilliant frontmen. Zakaria is remembered as something rarer. He was the architect, mentor and spiritual backbone of sungura’s golden generations.
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The post From Dembo to Tazvida: The One Thing Only Nicholas Zakaria Gave Sungura appeared first on iHarare News.
