Zimbabwe gospel music freedom sengwayo biography

By Michael Magoronga

Gospel artistes recently converged at the Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare where they held a gospel concert in honour of the late gospel music gurus Brian Sibalo and Freedom Sengwayo.

Sibalo and Sengwayo, who were both members of the Apostolic Faith Church commonly known as Ivangeli/Vhangeri, were arguably the pioneers of gospel music in Zimbabwe together with Baba Mechanic Manyeruke.

Sibalo died in 1997 while Sengwayo, whose father Reverend Morgan Sengwayo founded the church in Bulawayo’s Pelandaba suburb in 1955, passed on in 1998.

Freedom was a renowned musician famed for the popular anti-apartheid hit song Thula Sizwe, which he composed in the early 70s.

It was through the likes of both Brian and Freedom that gospel music, which was hitherto confined to churches, was brought to the mainstream music arena.

The organiser of the show, Providence Mugayi said the two late artists deserved the h