Zim mourns Transit Crew lead guitarist

Music In Africa spoke to the late guitarist's brother, music professor and critic Fred Zindi, who confirmed the news. Zindi also shared the news on Facebook.

“Nicholas Zindi has passed on. He is headed where we are all headed,” he wrote. “We will all get there, Heaven knows when. We walked together for so long, no closer could we be. Oh Lord, please give us strength to deal with this family bereavement. We are devastated, help us dry our tears.”

Transit Crew manager Taonga Mafundikwa said it was hard to believe Zindi had died. He said Zindi was still playing with Transit Crew before his death but had taken a break from the band due to ill health.

“We took a short break. He wasn’t feeling well when we regrouped again. But it was our wish that he should come back, sing and make music with us. The foundations of reggae music in Zimbabwe cannot be said without mentioning Samaita,” he said.

Musician and producer Mono Mukundu told Music In Africa that the nation had lost a talented and devoted artist. 

“Samaita Zindi was a dedicated musician who was passionate about music. I first saw him in 1989 as he played with Transit Crew. I first worked with him in 2009 when I recorded their album Unity at my studio. He was very passionate about music, what a great loss. He was a humble guy who knew his instrument and music in general very well,” Mukundu said.

Music critic and journalist Plot Mhako said: “Very saddening. Zindi might not have been popular to the masses but his works speak volumes and run for decades. Reggae is mourning and the entire arts community has been robbed.

“Less than two years since the death of another Transit Crew member, Munya Nyemba, we have lost another great artist. What’s more memorable about Zindi is that his legacy has been passed on to generations of artists like Mannex, Cello Culture, Mic Inity and producer Lazzie Z, who all passed through Zindi.”

Zimbabwe Musicians Union chairperson Edith WeUtonga said Zindi had left a void in the music industry. “The passing of Samaita is a huge loss for the music fraternity as we have lost a guardian and teacher of our music culture. He has taught and groomed many musicians,” she said.

Zindi started Transit Crew in 1988 together with late bassist Nyemba, keyboardist Anthony Liba, Culture T, Temba Jacobs and Emmanuel Frank. Zindi made various contributions and became one of the key members of the group. The outfit gained fame with albums such as Sounds Playing, The Message and Money. In the early 1990s, Transit Crew toured Japan where they played the Tokyo World Music Festival. The group also shared the stage with internationally acclaimed reggae artists such as Joseph Hill, Ijahman Levi and Eric Donaldson.