Rags to Riches: Mataranyika stayed in an abandoned car in Mbare

By Thomas Chidamba

Harare- PROMINENT and successful businessman Philip ‘Nyati’ Mataranyika, owner of Nyaradzo Funeral Services, said his life has not always been rosy as it once threw him a curveball, forcing him to live in an abandoned VW vehicle in Mbare.

Writing on his weekly blog, “Connecting The Dots,” where he traces his life journey, Mataranyika said when life got hard, he found himself homeless and had to stay in a disused VW van at Mbare Musika.

“Unlike most of the people who lived in Mbare, who had a home address to which a postman could deliver letters, I did not have one. I lived in a disused and abandoned VW van that I called home,” he said.

The affable businessman said he nearly gave up the hope of living a comfortable life until the legendary reggae singer Bob Marley, who staged a memorable Independence Day performance at Rufaro stadium in 1980, gave him the hope to continue hustling in the dog-eat-dog streets of the then Salisbury, now Harare.”

Such was the touching performance by the Wailers front man that Mataranyika briefly converted to Rastafanism.

“On days we were not busy, especially on weekends, we would go watch soccer at the multipurpose Rufaro Stadium where the iconic Bob Marley gave one of his memorable performances and had me briefly converting to Rastafarianism.

“After Bob Marley’s influence, following his massive show at Rufaro Stadium, I had to pick myself up and change course quickly, thanks to the influence I got from the environment and from those around me,” he said.

The now successful businessman said a journey together with his friend Edward “Madhobha” Katsvere, the former Dynamos star, accompanying his uncle to buy vegetables in Mbare, was a turning point in his life as he met a relative who offered him a place to stay.

“One of the people who had a huge influence on my entrepreneurial journey was my nephew Leonard Basiyawo whom I met at Mbare Musika in a twist of fate.

“This is how it happened:

“Edward and I would one day accompany my uncle . . . , Samson Musasa, to . . . buy vegetables for the meal of the day from the vegetable retail side of Mbare Musika, which was not very far from where we stayed.

“We stopped by one of the several market stalls to make enquiries, not knowing that this would be an encounter that would rekindle a relationship [that] had long been lost and forgotten.

“We struck up a conversation with a male vendor who was behind the stall, and Sekuru Samson could not hide his excitement upon realising that the trader we were chatting with was Leonard Basiyawo, his nephew, and exclaiming, “Zvauri muzukuru wangu chaiye!”, meaning, “You are actually my nephew!

“As Leonard became comfortable with his newly found relatives, he warmed-up to us, resulting in him deciding to move in with Edward and me to his makeshift shack, which was not very far from our disused VW van.

“The three of us would put up together every night and wake up early the next day and [rush] off in different directions in pursuit of our respective hustles,” he said.

Mataranyika said although he cannot erase from his life this part of history, it inspired him to be a successful businessman.

“Living at Mbare Musika, even in a disused and abandoned VW van, without a postal address, was the tonic I needed on my transformational journey from [being] a boy to a man.

“Leonard Basiyawo was a true legend on that journey and remains so, years after his passing on.

“We meet and face so many situations [while] growing up. Instead of looking back at the environments within which we grow with hate and regret, we must draw lessons from them and use them to launch and thrust ourselves forward.

“The deeper our foundation, the [higher] we can go up the building, for only a fool can curse the environment within which they grow.

“Mbare Musika is the last place where one would imagine raising law abiding citizens, more so, people who could build successful businesses that become not only national but global brands. And yet, this is the path I have travelled without one iota of regret or misgivings.