Quondam rhumba king returns
Friday, March 22, 2019
Except maybe on Radio Botswana, listeners hardly ever hear that “Nna e rile maloba ka utlwa ka Alfredo le setlhopha gotwe ba moopelo o monate, ke saitse fa ba na le melaetsa, ka bona ka ba utlwa ka dumela gore Alfredo Mos…”
Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s there was no place one would go without hearing the sounds of rhumba legend Alfredo Mos and Les Africa Sounds (basimane le basetsana ba setlhopha as they liked to call themselves). With his signatory lyrics that oozed powerful messages, Alfredo Mosimanegape may not have invented rhumba music in Botswana but he certainly helped set the bar for what a kwasa-kwasa/rhumba artist could accomplish. Since their time in dominion with other groups then like Kups and Bwasa Stars, Extra Melody, Nata Capricorn just to mention but a few, Alfredo Mos has been shown respect in a manner deserving of a legendary musician like he.
While his leadership has brought about significant progress and development, it is imperative that he exercises greater caution in his choice of words, particularly when addressing sensitive matters.One of the primary concerns is the potential impact of his remarks on Botswana’s relationship with De Beers, the diamond mining giant that plays a crucial role in the nation’s economy.The partnership between Botswana and De Beers has been mutually...