Clive Malunga Biography| Age, Education, Music Career, Personal Life
Clive Malunga is a Zimbabwean musician who gained prominence in the new millennium with chart-topping hits like ‘Rudhiya’ and ‘Nesango’.
The latter’s music video was said to be one of the most expensive ever produced locally at that time and it earned him a National Arts Merit Award.
Age
Malunga was born on November 25, 1960. (Age 63 as of 2023)
Education
Clive Malunga attended St Eric’s in Norton for his primary school education.
He went on to earn a diploma in Marketing from the London Centre of Marketing (LCM), and later in 2012, he began pursuing a business degree with the same institution.
Background
Born at Valley or Kingsdale Farm, located about 5 kilometers away from the town of Norton, Clive Malunga’s parents worked as domestic workers at the farm before their passing.
Despite growing up in such an environment, Malunga aimed to break free and initially pursued soccer before finding his calling in music.
Music Career
Clive Malunga began his music career in 1985 with the release of his vinyl single, “Marimba Jive,” which unfortunately did not perform well.
However, he gained popularity in the 1990s with his chart-topping hits, including “Rudhiya” and “Nesango.”
“Nesango” was a true masterpiece, and its music video was voted the best on ZTV’s Top 30 Videos of the Year charts in 1997.
The song and its video, which featured some of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) forces during their routine drills, earned Malunga widespread recognition and was reportedly one of the most expensive videos ever produced locally at that time.
In 1999, Malunga released “Marijata” which featured jazz sensation Prudence Katomeni on lead vocals.
He continued to push boundaries in the music industry and was among the first artists to release a DVD album.
In 1992 he also founded the Jenaguru Arts and Culture Centre in Bulawayo to nurture aspiring artists.
As the founder of the Jenaguru Arts and Culture Centre, Clive Malunga also served as its director, providing mentorship to artists such as Sandra Ndebele.
Clive Malunga and the Jenaguru Arts and Culture Centre launched the first Jenaguru Music Festival at Harare Gardens, which was a huge success in 1992.
They moved the festival to Gwanzura Stadium in 1993, and the last festival was staged at the National Sports Stadium, featuring musical groups from the United States, Egypt, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, and South Africa.
Over the years, Malunga has released more than nine albums.
Awards
The video to his hit ‘Nesango’ won a NAMA for the best video of the year in 2002.
Violence Against The Media
Clive Malunga gained notoriety for his violent behavior towards journalists. In 2000, he assaulted radio DJ Malachi Nkomo, accusing him of not playing his music.
The following year, he assaulted Shepherd Mutamba, who was then the editor of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
Malunga reportedly entered the newsroom and verbally abused Mutamba for not covering his donation to a children’s home in Harare.
He then proceeded to slap Mutamba in front of other journalists. Malunga was subsequently arrested and later pleaded guilty to the offense.
Personal Life
Sometime in 2022, Malunga shared details about his romantic life and disclosed that he was unable to commit to a single woman due to his constant pursuit of attractive women.
As a result of this behavior, he struggled in matters of love, resulting in his children being ‘scattered all over the place.’
He acknowledged his shortcomings in relationships and has resolved to prevent further harm by abstaining from s_ex.
He is now focusing on how to provide the best possible care for his children. He said:
“My greatest problem was that I could not settle with one woman…
I failed dismally in the ‘love arena’.
All the women I fell in love with loved me dearly but I kept on searching.
I took time to reflect on my life and realised that I had failed to manage my love life.
My children were scattered all over the place.
I made a decision to stay alone to avoid more casualties.
I now spend most of my time planning how best I can look after my children, provide them with food and send them to good schools.
I have made a bold decision to abstain from sexual activities and, with God’s help, I am managing.”
