Ngoni Dapira

TO most he was known as ‘Goosemore’, which was his company name for his public transport business, but to those who knew him fondly, he was called by his totem ‘Shumba’ or ‘Baba aWiri’ the name of his late first born son William. This gentle giant whose real name was Misheck Chesa passed on last week in the early hours of Friday morning (09/01/26) after succumbing to a stroke that struck him mid last year and left him in a vegetative state for months until his death. He was buried at his farm in Vumba on Sunday.

The late Chesa (blue) shirt receiving a prize of a bottle of whiskey during the President’s pool tournament for club members held early last year.

When the news broke about his death on Friday, I was so touched that I decided to write this memoir in memory of this gentle soul that I got to know socially because of his warm, jovial and receptive character at his favourite drinking hole, Manicaland Motoring Club in Mutare. He was was a patron there for over two decades and also served as the president of the club for two terms in 2018 and 2019. Last year he had been conferred a life honourary member during the club’s annual general meeting. This was literally his second home and his absence would be easily felt by club members that frequented the place as he always did things religiously and meticulously, like where he sat, the Lion lager beer that he only drank and his time for arriving at the club and leaving the club.

His meteoric rise in the business circles, from a Zupco bus driver to operating pirate taxi’s and eventually running his own public transport business with commuter omnibuses proved to many that the sky is the limit for anyone who dreams big and works hard to achieve the American dream. He eventually moved from public transport to haulage trucks and farming in Vumba, which is what he was doing up to his death. I fondly remember his contagious smile and ever composed cool stature. “Ngere ngere” people would say to him when music was being played during the weekends at the club, as they would be trying to convince him to dance, and he would gently respond with a cheesy smile, “Ndakavhara  zvese izvo,” whilst he sat at his usual corner at the back of the club in the members only Plug and Throttle club section, sipping on his favourite Lion lager.

The late Chesa (White shirt) with German based Mutare born musician I-Finton whose real name is Finton Mumbure (dread locked) during his homecoming show at Motoring Club.

When I first started patronizing at Motoring Club in 2014, I vividly remember that gaining his trust was not an overnight feat. It took months because Shumba never really opened up to people easily, especially to a journalist like me. However, when he learned that we shared the same totem and after years of ‘studying’ me, he eventually warmed up to me. He began to always call me ‘Shumba’ instead of derogatory terms like ‘Blabbermouth’ (a popular gossip column in The Manica Post newspaper) or ‘Kwayedza’ (A Shona newspaper published by Zimpapers), which he called most journalists that came to the club. We however never took offense at it as we considered him our elder, so we would actually laugh if off.

All learned club members that came to the club were called ‘Mabharani,’ as he would jokingly call them admitting that he was never blessed academically but was very shrewd when it came to business.  On Friday’s he would always call me on the side when I went to club, “Shumba masoko ari kutii?,” he would say. This was his way of inquiring news that would have been published in weekly newspaper The Manica Post that week to get first hand information. Club members would always joke about how he loved the 6pm Shona news at the club always asking the barman to change from the sports channel. This was however all done in love and camaraderie as Motoring Club members were more than just club members but more like a family.

Manicaland Motoring Club members at the Chesa residence last Friday morning after hearing the sad news of his passing, helping the family to coordinate funeral proceedings.

Shumba’s funeral and others before of club members have shown the ubuntu amongst the Motoring club members who stand by each other through thick and thin. From the pronouncement of his stroke till his death, club members helped out when asked by family and in the end they gave him a befitting send-off that the family greatly appreciated at the burial service as the club members raised a substantial amount of money to help cover the funeral expenses.

Chesa with prominent Mutare socialite Mambojesu whose real name is David Maramba.

All said and done what can only be said now is that Go Well Shumba!!! You fought and good fight to try beat the stroke but God had his way. You braved to enter the New Year. You will forever be missed and cherished as a true Mutarean that walked the talk and united a community with your contagious and lovable character. The amusing tales of John Gutu and your corn snacks that you brought from your farm for club members will be greatly missed. Who will now drink your Lion larger at the club that was always ordered specifically for you because no one drank the beer? We will always treasure your favourite sitting spots inside the Plug and Throttle bar and outside the verandah by the corner and remember that there once lived a gentle giant called Misheck Chesa, whose love for Mutare was ‘GREAT’ and larger than life itself. We will remember how people joked about your secrecy on political matters but how you openly loved the revolutionary party, Zanu-PF, wearing the party’s caps during national occasions. To the surviving Motoring club members, let us take a leaf from Shumba and leave a legacy of ubuntu and love at the club for future generations. The club should not just be a drinking hole but a community and social hub where great minds are sharpened and people come to get a feel of the true spirit of ubuntu in Mutare.