William “Kachule” Dangirwa once danced before packed crowds as part of Orchestra Mberikwazvo band fronted by Alick ‘Baba Shero’ Macheso. Now, aged 43 and raising four children, he says he is struggling to make ends meet by moulding bricks and is willing to accept food from well-wishers.
The former dancer is appealing to Macheso to take him back into the sungura outfit, saying his life changed after he left on medical grounds. He says his feet used to swell and suspects witchcraft may have played a part.
“Life has never been the same since I left the group on medical grounds,” Kachule said.
“My feet used to get swollen and I suspect that I could have been bewitched by haters because we are surrounded by enemies, both in our communities and at the workplace. My only wish is to be reunited with my favourite employer and father figure, Alick Macheso, who spotted me from the back of the beyond. I still miss those days when I used to be pampered with cash on stage and paid well at Orchestra Mberikwazvo.”
Kachule said he has turned to brick moulding to earn a living, but the work has not been enough to meet his needs. He said his family is in Harare, while Rusape is his rural home, and he does not see opportunities there that would allow him to support them.
“A beggar is not a chooser and I am willing to accept food handouts from the public. Rusape is my rural home but I do not see any opportunities there, especially since my family is here in Harare. I kindly appeal to Baba Macheso to take me back because I have fallen on hard times.”
He said he had contacted the band’s management and was waiting to hear whether he could return. For Kachule, the appeal is personal as well as professional. He describes Macheso as a father figure and recalls the money he received from audiences and the salary he earned while working with the band.
“I have been in touch with Macheso’s management but it is taking a long time for me to be reunited with my father figure, should the opportunity arise. Who wouldn’t want to work for Macheso, where careers are transformed for the better? I simply want the management to take me back because life is tough here.”
The response from management differs sharply from Kachule’s account of his departure. A senior representative said he had chosen to leave, and rejected the suggestion that he was forced out or demoted.
“We know him very well, but he decided to leave his job on his own,” the management representative said.
“He was neither fired nor demoted. He simply advised us that he was no longer interested in the job on short notice. We were shocked because he was part of us but we cannot assist him in any way now. To us, our ‘marriage’ is over, and we have moved on without him.”
The representative said Kachule’s old position had been filled and there was no current opening for him. Management said the band had moved forward after his departure.
“There is no vacancy for him at the moment because he decided to leave on his own terms. He was never forced to leave. He simply advised us that he was no longer interested in the band.
“We had to fill the void, but we are doing well without him, and life goes on. For your own information, there are several other former band members, whose names I will withhold, who are constantly asking to return to work. Some of them left in acrimony, while others departed on good terms. This remains a cause for concern for us.”
Kachule’s request comes after another former Orchestra Mberikwazvo dancer, Peter Kagomera, spoke publicly about severe hardship. In 2025, Kagomera said he was homeless and living in poverty as he sought another chance with Macheso’s band. He had once been discovered on the streets and became part of the outfit, but was later dismissed following repeated disciplinary problems.
Kagomera’s appeal was made during a performance in Chitungwiza, where the crowd urged Macheso to consider bringing him back. Macheso asked the audience: “Can we take him back and let him join the band?” Kagomera said he had been moving between homes after being evicted from a flat in Chitungwiza. He also told Macheso’s management that he hoped his talent and changed circumstances would be considered. The episode showed that Kachule is not the first former dancer to ask for a way back after falling on hard times.
Former rhythm guitarist Lucky Mumiriki’s experience has been different, but also shows how illness can abruptly interrupt a music career. Mumiriki suffered a stroke in 2011 while he was part of Orchestra Mberikwazvo. At the time, he was reported to be recovering at home after hospital treatment and said he hoped to return to the stage. The band members visited him, helped with hospital bills and supported his physiotherapy.
Years later, Mumiriki faced renewed health problems. In late 2025, his daughter launched an online fundraiser to help pay his medical costs while he was receiving treatment. The appeal revived memories of the guitarist’s contribution to the band, where he played rhythm guitar from 2002 until illness curtailed his performing career.
Jethro Machanja, a former manager and long-serving member of the band’s management team, also faced a serious health setback. Machanja worked with Orchestra Mberikwazvo for 15 years, from 2000 to 2015, first as assistant manager and later as manager. In February 2026, he had his left leg amputated at Chitungwiza Central Hospital after complications linked to diabetes. He said he had been diagnosed with the condition in 2013 and had endured severe pain in the six months before the operation. His family, former colleagues William Tsandukwa and Kireni Zulu supported him during his hospital stay.
The cases are different: Kagomera sought a return after losing stable accommodation, Mumiriki’s career was interrupted by a stroke, and Machanja’s health worsened after years of diabetes. Kachule says his own departure was connected to swollen feet and medical concerns, while the band’s representative says he left voluntarily and his position has already been filled.
For now, Kachule says brick moulding is his source of income and food assistance would be welcome. He is asking Macheso and the management team to reconsider his appeal, but management has made clear that there is no vacancy at present.