Dr Mtukudzi passed away at a local hospital in Harare on January 23, 2018 aged 66 after battling diabetes for some time.

Messages of condolence have been pouring in since the passing on of the music legend, who ironically passed on exactly a year on, on a similar January date, after his buddy and music industry friend, Hugh ‘Bro Hue’ Masekela. Among the first to send his condolence message was Namibian President (Hage Geingob) who called his local counterpart, President Mnangagwa to confirm if it was true that Tuku was no more. ‘If he had such global reach what kind of honour can we accord him since he was one of our own?’ said the President. So, as the Politburo of the ruling party, they had agreed, and unanimously so, that he be given the highest honour.

“To Amai Mtukudzi (the late Dr Mtukudzi’s wife), I want to say on behalf of our party Zanu-PF, Government and myself as President and on behalf of all Zimbabweans that we have agreed that he be declared a national hero,” announced the President.

The announcement was greeted with applause and jubilation by hundreds of mourners who had thronged the icon’s home to pay their last respects.

An Afro-jazz artist of repute, Tuku’s carrier spans more than four decades having began in the 1970s. With 66 music albums to his credit, Tuku collaborated with local and regional artists and toured the globe for shows. He was also a cultural and human r