Ray Nkosi | The memory of former President Robert Mugabe is now being kept alive through music with Suluman Chimbetu releasing a latest album titled Asante Sana.

Asante Sana is kiswahili meaning “thanks a lot”, that was Mugabe’s last goodbye before being ousted from power by the military resigning on the 21st of November.

On the night before his resignation many were glued to television sets hoping to hear Mugabe resign publicly, the veteran politician instead said the ongoing military operation led by General Constantino Chiwenga had not threatened the “constitutional order” and called for unity.

Mugabe ends his long speech saying, ” Let us all move forward reminding ourselves of our wartime mantra: Iwe neni tine basa [You and I have work to do].”

The local Daily News reports that former President Mugabe appears to be an enduring source of inspiration for dendera music star Suluman Chimbetu.

A year after composing a song titled Chirombo which borrowed the statement “Ndiri kunzwa masimba ekupinda muzana, kuita kunge munhu uya ari kumhanya race…” from Mugabe’s birthday interview, Suluman has done it again.

This time around the dendera star has composed a song titled Asante Sana once again quoting the veteran nationalist. After a meeting with Zimbabwe Defence Forces commanders headed by Constantino Chiwenga, who were pushing him to resign, Mugabe shocked many when he simply said “Asante Sana.” Loosely translated “Asante Sana” is a Swahili phrase that means “thank you a lot” in English.

Asante Sana, which has become a common phrase among Zimbabweans largely thanks to Mugabe,  has now formed a basis of a song that Suluman hopes will be a hit.

The dendera artiste sampled the song during his concerts over the weekend much to the delight of his fans.

“I was inspired by mdara Bob (Mugabe) to pen the song Asante Sana. The song is found on my forthcoming project. I haven’t yet decided on the title of the album.

“The song will remind people of what the former president said: ini newe tine basa rekushandira Zimbabwe (We have a role to play in building Zimbabwe)…,” Suluman told the Daily News.

The dendera artiste is hopeful that Asante Sana will follow in the footsteps of Chirombo which was one of the standout tracks of his latest album Jamboree.

Sulu’s latest album, on which he sang about the deteriorating political and economic situation in the country, has been hailed by music critics as the dendera artiste’s best to date.

The politically potent album includes the track “Moses” which he pleads for a Moses to take people away from Pharoah’s cruelty and bondage.

Another favourite of many is “Tiringwe” in which Sulu calls for God’s intervention and guidance to rescue people from the harsh economic conditions prevailing in the country, adding that people are working tirelessly in a bid to make ends meet.