…Resident Minister Advocate Mugadza questions Council spot fines measures

“Personally he was a dear friend and he was the afternoon videographer at my wedding in 1998. From his first photo studio downtown, he rose as a renowned professional photographer. He later took over an office at Cecil Chambers uptown which was left by Solomon Muwaniri after he decided to relocate to the United Kingdom, which is where Chiwanza operated for many years growing his business and expanded into events management. Innocent groomed a lot of photographers in our industry. He is one of our pillars and sadly he is gone now, but it was my wish that he would have been recognized as an innovator in Manicaland and buried at the provincial Heroes Acre. However, we appreciate that the resident Minister came to send off our hero and accorded him the respect he deserved as a pioneering and enterprising photographer,” said Zihero.

Ngoni Dapira

FOR many people especially the new millennium generation, closing one eye to take a photo is nothing special and child’s play, however, for those in the profession  it is a prolific career option that puts food on the table and fends for their families. Last week Saturday, a somber atmosphere engulfed Mutare during the moving burial service of the late well-known videographer and photographer Innocent Chiwanza who passed away on Wednesday afternoon after he succumbed to a tragic heart attack in his car and died on admission at hospital.

The heart attack is believed to have been triggered by a heated argument with City of Mutare municipal officers that had clamped his car, a Toyota Camry, downtown and allegedly demanded for US$70. His death was the talk of the town with social media groups abuzz with the news all weekend as people expressed mixed emotions about what happened. On Friday drama ensued outside the municipal offices at Civic Centre where peaceful demonstrations were staged by some family members and friends of the late Chiwanza who sang the popular song ‘Ndiwe wakauraya’ (It is you who killed), demanding for justice and explanations from the municipal officers that had clamped his car.

Many people from all walks of life, from as far as Mozambique and South Africa, came to pay their last respects to the affable photographer, whom many praised for raising the bar in the photography and videography sector in the city and Manicaland province at large.

Chiwanza (56) was one of the enterprising photographers and videographers in the eastern border city that professionalized the industry and opened studio’s making it gainful employment to be a cameraman, as some popularly call them. Born in Honde Valley, Chiwanza started from humble beginnings working for the public transporter, Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO), in the 1990’s where he shuffled as a conductor, bus driver and later became an inspector.

Kelvin Chiwanza

According to his eldest son, Kelvin, who works in Harare, he said fatefully his father had called him on Monday and asked him to come home on Wednesday, but he arrived a little too late that day to the shocking news that his father had passed on.

“Growing up we never heard of any incidents where our father had an altercation with anyone. He was always jovial, so this is really shocking, and we wonder what really happened, as we know him as a diplomatic person,” said Kelvin in a sideline interview during the burial service held at EACI Church at Kudanana Centre in Dangamvura high density suburb.

Kelvin said the City of Mutare claim the clamping ticket was US$25 and he had accepted to pay but wanted to be allowed to pay it at the Council offices at Civic Centre and go with the car accompanied by one of the officers. “But there were some witnesses who overheard the argument with the municipal officers where he was complaining about a US$70 ticket. So we just want to know what really happened,” said Kelvin.

“In 2016 our father was diagnosed with a heart problem and underwent surgery. Ever since that surgery if extremely angered he gets into convulsions, but it has to be something really traumatizing because as children we have misbehaved before but it never triggered his condition to this extent…All we want are answers, as a family we accept that nothing will bring back his life, but my appeal to Council officers is that they should know that people are walking with various personal problems and different ailments, so they should cautiously handle people to avoid such misfortunes,” said Kelvin.

Kelvin said his father had a passion for videography which compelled him to resign in 2000 from ZUPCO and started his full-time career as a street photographer.

“He always told us that he was inspired by his High School teacher to join photography and has never regretted the move. He was a strict person in terms of business. From primary school we were raised to work. I would do temporary work for pocket money and do various jobs in the studio and it is this work ethic that moulded me to be who I am today, as an entrepreneur myself,” he said.

Adding, “From operating in the streets since 2000, in 2003 he decided to formerly open a studio downtown where there used to be QV pharmacy, which is ironically where he was clamped on Wednesday afternoon whilst buying medication at the pharmacy now operating there. Photo studios were few those days. He started off as Universal Video Production then changed to Universal Multimedia which was now currently trading as Universal Art Media,” said Kelvin.

Universal Video Production was amongst the first photo studios in Mutare to be allowed to train media and graphic design students on attachment from Mutare Polytechnic College and later from universities like Great Zimbabwe University, University of Zimbabwe and Bindura University.

Sadly, Chiwanza passed on when the fruits of his labour where just beginning to pay off as one of his friends said during the testimonials at the burial service.

“Just a week ago he called me and said he was excited that the fruits of his labour are now paying off. His son Kelvin who had just come back to Zimababwe from Turkey in March had bought him a car, the Toyota Camry which was clamped, and a Toyota Mark X for his mother. He was so happy, but now this happens a week down the lane. Rest in Peace my friend,” said the friend who shed tears.

During the burial service the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza said the city had lost an enterprising soul that broke barriers in transforming the art of photography. He urged those in the profession to take a leaf from the late Chiwanza and strive for perfection and high standards.

“Whilst many are angry and ask why Lord? Let us learn from Chiwanza and be industrious in whatever career we choose. His tragic death comes with lessons which is why we continuously change laws as we learn and see ambiguities in some of our by-laws, which at times are outdated or inhuman to the state of affairs of the time. This will be an opportunity for our Councils to learn that they need to improve on their conduct when dealing with people and perhaps interrogate how best these spot fines should be better handled,” said the resident Minister in a side interview.

George Zihero

A fellow photographer George Zihero who worked with the late Chiwanza for a long time said Chiwanza used to specialize in video filming to the extent that he was sometimes contracted to shoot some news videos for ZBC when the local correspondents were overwhelmed, as well as for The Manica Post that used his photographs for some events.

“Personally he was a dear friend and he was the afternoon videographer at my wedding in 1998. From his first photo studio downtown, he rose as a renowned professional photographer. He later took over an office at Cecil Chambers uptown which was left by Solomon Muwaniri after he decided to relocate to the United Kingdom, which is where Chiwanza operated for many years growing his business and expanded into events management. Innocent groomed a lot of photographers in our industry. He is one of our pillars and sadly he is gone now, but it was my wish that he would have been recognized as an innovator in Manicaland and buried at the provincial Heroes Acre. However, we appreciate that the resident Minister came to send off our hero and accorded him the respect he deserved as a pioneering and enterprising photographer,” said Zihero.

Zihero added that as videographers and photographers, they are the history makers and despite technology fast changing they are fast adapting which is why people still come for photo shoots for quality pictures by professionals, regardless of the latest IPhones which take high resolution pictures.

“Chiwanza fended for his family through photography, with his children attending private schools like Hillcrest College, so this shows how successful he was. Most colleges, universities and churches and even large companies contracted him, so he was very dynamic in his business approach to photography, but he still loved standing in the streets sometimes doing things the old school way as a street photographer,” said George.

By the time of going to press on Thursday, City of Mutare public relations officer Spren Mutiwi had not issued out a press statement to rightfully put into perspective the position of the local authority on the matter. He however told this reporter that they would respond to the demonstration staged outside the local authority last Friday and the accusations against the municipal officers that clamped the late Chiwanza’s car and allegedly demanded for US$70.

Chiwanza is survived by his wife Sarah and four children, Faith, Kelvin, Wendy and Mudiwa.