Jah Prayzah’s keyboard player Biggie Katuka has left the Third Generation band to pursue a career in tourism.

Katuka told the Daily News yesterday that he needed time to nurse his fledging tourism start-up, christened I Travel. 

The new company’s forte will be centred mainly on domestic tourism as Katuka aims to service a niche market that has been overlooked by the traditional giants in the sector that mainly focus on international arrivals. 

“The company is still new hence I decided to leave the Third Generation to give it all my attention as it has a potential to scale dizzy heights,” Katuka said. 

Next month, Katuka’s new company will be organising a two-day trip from Harare to Matabeleland North dubbed the “Binga Bush Party”. 

“We are targeting a small number to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic as we are still under a national lockdown.

“On this one, we want only 20 tourists and I am happy with the response so far. People are actually excited,” Katuka added. 

Despite the decline in the tourism sector in the past 14 months due to the global pandemic, local hotels and tourists’ attractions are slowly opening up. 

Katuka believes he has ventured into the sector at the right time when the industry is now gearing for a reboot after weathering the Covid-19 pandemic.   

“There is a lot of potential. The only setback we have so far is the Covid-19 pandemic and the travelling restrictions,” he said. 

Katuka’s departure from Third Generation comes hot on the heels of that of dancer and backing vocalist Fatima “Stimela” Katiji, who recently left for the United States (US) to further her studies. 

Katiji last month told the Daily News that she hopes to return to Zimbabwe once her exchange programme at the Fairfield University Connecticut comes to an end. 

It is no surprise that most musicians and instrument players are searching for alternative sources of income after showbiz industry ground to a halt during this pandemic. 

Since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown in March 2020, all live musical shows and public gatherings have been outlawed. 

Authorities recently relaxed the lockdown regulations but shows remain banned, which has affected the livelihoods of band members who normally get paid per gig. 

Even the band leaders have not been spared the financial challenges and are also seeking alternative avenues to make ends meet.  

-Daily News