Former TP OK Jazz star, Simaro, in ‘stable’ condition

Kinshasa, the DR Congo capital, has been on the edge lately, with news of the apparent illness of veteran musician Lutumba Simaro Masiya, one of the country’s most talented composers and guitarists.

The 75-year-old band leader, who is popularly known as ‘Le poete’, is perhaps the biggest star in the league of his former boss, Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, Franco, and Tabuley, who is still alive today.

Talk of Lutumba Simaro’s illness was bound to attract attention, as Kinshasa has lately not been full of good news about the ageing icons of Congolese Lingala music.

Some of the big names that have passed on in recent years, include Tabu Ley, who in his heyday, was popularly known as Pascal Rochereau, le signeur.

PAIN AND FATIGUE

But the saving grace is that sources in Kinshasa have confirmed that Simaro, who composed the hit songs Maya,  Ebale ya Zaire and Testament ya Bowule, is indisposed but not critically ill. It was on song Testament that the vocal prowess of Malage de Lugendo, was introduced to lovers of Lingala music.

Earlier Simaro  had incoporated the melodious Djo Mpoyi on some of his compositions like Mbongo  and Mandola Lobanzo..

According to reports from Kinshasa last week, news of Simaro’s illness prompted a visit to his home by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Budget, Daniel Mukoko Samba, and Health Minister Felix Kabange Numbi. His condition is, however, not serious as he isn’t hospitalised.

Speaking to the Saturday Nation from Kinshasa, Pascal Onema, a former  TP OK Jazz band manager, said he had visited and spoken to Simaro last Saturday at his Kinshasa home. “He appeared upbeat despite having complaining of  some pain  in his leg and fatigue,” Onema said.

Onema, keen to assure fans that all was well, said the singer’s health condition was being regularly monitored by professionals and was out of danger.