Lifestyle

Carl Joshua Ncube cooking up a storm in Victoria Falls

Published

4 years ago

January 19, 2022

VicFallsLive

BY RYAN TRUSCOTT

Ever thought of eating your grasshoppers with honey? Or spicy stinkbugs?

Zimbabwean comedian-turned-celebrity-chef Carl Joshua Ncube has just the recipe for you in his new e-book highlighting healthy and sustainable ways of eating.

Ncube, who moved to Victoria Falls last year to live off-grid in a converted bus with his wife Nelsy, has just brought out an e-cookbook called Chikafu — the 100 recipe diary of a Zimbabwean celebrity chef. Chikafu is the Shona word for food.

The book is being sold — sustainably — via WhatsApp to Zimbabwean customers.

His 100 recipes and pictures are a feast for the eyes on a phone screen.

But what Ncube’s really interested in is using ingredients that are at hand in rural Zimbabwe.

“I noticed that a lot of ingredients we use in Zimbabwe tend to be pests that would otherwise damage crops,” he told RFI via a zoom call from a hotel lounge during a day-trip to Victoria Falls from his village home.

Mountain of the lion

One insect featured in the recipes is the stinkbug, a small insect with a shield-like body that emits strong-smelling fluids when handled.

In some parts of Zimbabwe, including Victoria Falls, stinkbugs swarm in vast numbers ahead of the cool season looking for places to hibernate.

They can be harvested by the bagful. Once you get past their smell, they make excellent seasoning.

“The actual flavour is like a chicken or beef stock that has hardened. It’s quite fatty and crunchy on the outside,” says Ncube.

His book recommends deep frying one kilogramme of the bugs and drying them overnight.

The crucial next step is to blend them with pepper corns and cayenne pepper, according to Ncube’s recipe.

Processing insects with a blender helps people to get over the obvious psychological obstacles, he says.

“The palate adjusts to it when you add it as part of a spice blend.”

The magic ingredient in Ncube’s grasshopper and honey dish? Cottage cheese.

For Ncube, who has diabetes, the decision to start living off the grid and exploring traditional foods was a way of finding more healthy and sustainable ways of eating and living.

He and his wife converted an old bus into their home in the village of Ntabayengwe, near Victoria Falls. The village name means “mountain of the lion” and lions do occasionally pass through.

Ncube knew he was on the right track when, on his very first off-grid morning, he cooked an omelette over an open fire using free-range eggs and freshly-picked green peppers and onions.

Assault on the senses

“I’d never tasted food so fresh in my life,” he said. Once his neighbours in the village discovered there was a celebrity living in their midst, daily deliveries of fresh food began.

“People would deliver chickens to my house; they’d deliver eggs.

“Stuff was coming straight from the fields, you could still see the dirt on the vegetables.

“It was just such an incredible first week living off grid and an assault on the senses.”

Better known for his wise cracks about life in Zimbabwe and tongue-in-cheek jabs at politicians and other celebrities, Ncube says that cooking is as much a part of his DNA as comedy.

While his late father, a woodwork teacher, was a part-time comedian, his mother is a retired home economics lecturer well-versed in food and nutrition.

Zimbabwe’s rich culinary past was undervalued during the colonial years that ended with independence in 1980, said Ncube.

“What I’ve realised is that we’re not so different from a culinary perspective, globally.

“We seem to have the same things: we do broths and soups; we dry-age (meat), we hang, we cure.

“All of these processes exist but the language is different,” he explained.

He’s critical of the culinary oversimplification that saw sadza, a stiff porridge made from maize meal, declared the national staple.
Ingredients never imagined

“It was put in all our textbooks, which is not correct to do because no country in the world describes itself by one dish.”

But as much as Chikafu is about delving into the past, unearthing overlooked ways of cooking and celebrating a rich tradition, it’s also about imagining the future of Zimbabwean cuisine.

The first section of the book pays tribute to traditional ways of preparing mopane worms (an abundant moth caterpillar harvested from the leaves of mopane trees in western and south-eastern Zimbabwe), sweet potatoes and other staples.

Readers are then introduced to “ingredients used in ways they never imagined.”

This is seen, for instance, in a recipe that’s a new take on Chibuku, the popular opaque beer made from fermented maize, sorghum and barley.

He recommends mixing the brew with vanilla ice cream, chocolate milk and syrup.

Chibuku drinkers would likely be scandalised, but Ncube isn’t worried.

“I have a right as a Zimbabwean to be inventive, because whatever it is that we call tradition, was an invention at some point,” he said.
“So, I want to invent.” – Radio France Internationale

Lifestyle

Molokele mourns the loss of artist Fanuel Mwale

Published

2 weeks ago

April 17, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

Daniel Molokele, the Member of Parliament for Hwange Central, paid tribute on Thursday to Fanuel Achimwene Mwale, a prominent local artist and his lifelong friend, who died over the weekend following a brief illness.

Molokele visited Mwale’s family in Makwika village to offer condolences and visited the artist’s final resting place at the local cemetery. The MP described a personal bond spanning more than 45 years, noting that he and Mwale grew up together in the No. 1 colliery area and remained classmates throughout their years at St Ignatius Primary School.

“I consider him as my first best friend of my entire life,” Molokele said in a statement, adding that the two had shared the formative first five years of their lives together.

Mwale was recognized as a multi-talented artist who represented Hwange on both national and international stages. His career included roles as a dancer, composer, singer, scriptwriter, actor, producer, and director.

Molokele expressed hope that Mwale’s “exemplary artistic legacy” would serve as an inspiration for other performers emerging from the “hot coalfields of Whange” to achieve similar success .

The MP concluded his tribute by wishing that Mwale’s “dearest artistic soul rest in power”

Lifestyle

Dawn Thandeka King to headline lmiklomelo KaDakamela festival in Nkayi

Published

1 month ago

March 27, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The hills of Nkayi are set to come alive as preparations for the iMiklomelo kaDakamela Cultural Festival reach an advanced stage, with organizers confirming that acclaimed South African actress and musician Dawn Thandeka King will be the guest of honor.

The festival, which runs from 3 to 6 April, at the Chief’s homestead, promises a vibrant celebration of music, sport, and traditional experiences that aim to put the district on the global cultural map.

Organizers expressed their excitement over the arrival of the South African star, noting that “her presence brings star power, inspiration, and cultural pride to Nkayi.” The actress will be joined by other high-profile guests, including Gama Mbokane from Tanzania, Prince Wandile Ngobese, and Umntwana waseZibindini uThulani kaGqikazi kaSolomon.

Adding a feat of incredible endurance to the festivities, organizing committee member Dr Gasolo is currently preparing to walk 205km from Bulawayo to ko Dakamela to amplify the voices of local creatives. Dr Gasolo, who recently returned from Zambia where he was part of the “Walk Across Africa” team, will embark on this local trek before heading to Ethiopia later this year to rejoin the journey to Cairo, Egypt.

Festival coordinator Desmond Ntini confirmed to Southern Eye reporter, Margaret Lubinda that the packed programme includes campfire storytelling, traditional bush dinners, and a unique camping experience. “The chief will take centre stage as the guest storyteller,” Ntini said. The event will also feature the return of the popular Amahubo sessions and sporting events like the trademark Bosso social soccer match and the introduction of cricket, Emakhaya.

Beyond the entertainment, the festival serves a deeper purpose of community empowerment. Workshops will be held to teach villagers how to monetise waste, such as plastic bottles, alongside an empowerment workshop for local artists hosted in collaboration with the Isintu Festival.

This local initiative aligns with recent discussions in the National Assembly regarding the vital role of the tourism sector and heritage preservation. Lawmakers have noted that heritage preservation is a “crucial cog for maintaining the national identity, fostering cultural diversity, driving tourism growth and promoting economic development at large” Members of Parliament have further observed that cultural tourism is a “powerful driver of economic growth” that has the ability to “transform lives at the grassroots level,” particularly for women and youth .

However, the road to the festival has not been without its hurdles. Ntini noted that extending the festival’s duration has led to funding challenges. “Our main challenge centres on funding,” he said. “Large numbers of people from the koDakamela community attend, and they also need to be catered for. We are appealing for more support.”

Additional Source: Southern Eye.

Lifestyle

Marvin Dube: Spreading hope and gratitude through gospel music

Published

6 months ago

October 24, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Born in Kadoma and raised across various towns in Zimbabwe, gospel artist Marvin Dube carries with him the deep spiritual and cultural roots of his Tonga heritage from Junamina village in Binga. Now based in the United Kingdom, Marvin is making waves in the gospel music scene, using his voice and message to uplift, heal, and inspire.

Following his previous single “Munoziva Zvose”, Marvin continues to evolve as a gospel minister and artist. His latest songs, Tinetariro and Tendai Mwari, showcase a refreshing mix of faith, gratitude, and reflection on the moral and spiritual challenges facing society today.

Below are excerpts from his interview with Nokuthaba Dlamini, Managing Editor for VicFallsLive, where Marvin opened up about his inspiration, journey, and the purpose behind his new work.

What inspired these new songs, and what message do you hope listeners take away from them?

Marvin Dube:

Both Tinetariro and Tendai Mwari were born out of reflection and prayer. Tinetariro speaks about hope — the kind that reminds us we are God’s children, even in times of moral decline and confusion. I was inspired by the challenges we are facing today, especially among the youth. Many have lost direction and respect, and social media has become a space where spiritual values are often mocked.

I wanted to use Tinetariro to remind people that there’s still hope for our generation — that God hasn’t forgotten us.

Tendai Mwari carries a message of gratitude. It encourages us to appreciate God for the little we have and to remain thankful even before we receive the big things we dream of — the car, the house, the job. Gratitude opens doors, and I want listeners to embrace that attitude of thankfulness every day.

How do these songs reflect your personal journey or growth as a gospel artist?

Marvin Dube:

These songs mark a point of maturity in my journey. I’ve grown to understand that gospel music is more than melody — it’s ministry. I now write with more purpose, aiming to address real issues affecting believers and society. Tinetariro and Tendai Mwari reflect my growth in both faith and artistry, showing that gospel music can heal, correct, and inspire all at once.

Can you tell us about the creative process, from writing to production, and who you worked with on this project?

Marvin Dube:

My creative process is very spiritual and organic. I draw a lot of inspiration from preaching. Often, a melody will start as a small tune in my mind — it keeps ringing until I can’t ignore it. Usually, the chorus comes first. I then take time to pray for inspiration to write the verses so that the message aligns with what God wants to say through the song.

After that, I play the song on my guitar, record a rough version, and share it with the producer or the band I’ll be working with. For this project, I worked with Hertz Records, who have produced all my music to date. They truly understand my sound and help me bring my ideas to life.

I also want to give a special shout-out to my wife, Leonora, and my two little kids. They’ve been my biggest supporters and motivation throughout this journey. Their love and encouragement mean everything to me.

How do you see gospel music evolving in Zimbabwe and Africa, and where do you see your work fitting into that movement?

Marvin Dube:

Gospel music in Zimbabwe and across Africa is evolving in powerful ways. Artists are finding new ways to reach wider audiences by blending traditional gospel messages with contemporary sounds. It’s exciting to see how the gospel is being shared in modern, relatable ways — especially among young people.

I see my work fitting right into that movement. My goal is to be a bridge between generations — to deliver timeless spiritual truths with a fresh, modern sound that speaks to today’s world while staying true to the Word of God.

What has been the most powerful reaction or testimony you’ve received from people who have listened to your music?

Marvin Dube:

One of the most powerful testimonies I’ve received came from a young listener who said Tinetariro gave them hope again after going through a very dark season. They told me the song reminded them that God still has a plan for their life. Hearing that touched me deeply. It’s moments like those that remind me this is more than music — it’s ministry, and I’m humbled that God is using my songs to touch lives.

Closing Note

Marvin Dube:

I’m truly grateful for the love and support I’ve received for Tinetariro and Tendai Mwari. If you haven’t listened yet, both songs are available on all streaming platforms and on my YouTube channel, Marvin Dube. The year 2026 will be even more exciting, with several projects already in motion that I believe will uplift and bless many lives.