SUSAN CHENJERAI ( Mai Rwizi )
By ZimLegends
Susan Chenjerai, the woman who performed the role of Mai Rwizi in the popular television drama series Mukadota family in the 1990’s had the ideal qualities of an African mother, which she transformed on stage to become one of the most famous female actors in Zimbabwe’s growing film industry.
Her stage husband Mukadota real name Safirio Madzikatire aka Baba Rwizi, was a genius comedian. Mukadota played the role of a trouble shooter in the community who required a charismatic partner to weather the storm without spoiling the fun.
A typical example were scenes in which Baba Rwizi would openly show his affection for his well built neighbour’s wife Mai Phineas. Mai Rwizi would tactfully defuse the tension that at times kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
Mai Rwizi would go a notch up in her performance when the scenes moved to rural settings where she would give the impression of one with a strong rural background, despite having been brought up in Mbare.
She would show much sympathy for characters like the gullible Mdhara Bonnie who was always being abused by Mukadota making him appear like a buffoon.
Susan Chenjerai who should now be in her seventies is not sure of when she was born, but indicates it must be in the mid-1940s. She grew up in Mbare high density suburb of Harare. Her acting career began in 1951 as a member of the Bantu actors, a group of artistes from Mbare that started in 1936. She later joined the Marandellas Bush Babies in 1958.
Madzikatire approached Chenjerai and persuaded her to join his band in 1969, after listening to her singing in the Majubeki area of Mbare. Chenjerai says she is the one who wrote the hit song Kwahunyani which was later recorded by Madzikatire partnered by Elizabeth Taderera aka Katarina.
During her career as a musician Chenjerai worked with big names such as Oliver Mtukudzi and the Wagon Wheels and Jordan Chataika.
Mai Rwizi says from the onset her late husband Lovemore Bope, a cleric, was opposed to the idea of her being an actress. As she sharpened her performing skills she would work with Madzikatire in coming up with the scripts for the TV drama series.
Susan Chenjerai’s career spanning about 15 years as a musician and actor was not as glorious as most viewers thought. In the early eighties she had started seeking alternative jobs to supplement her income before she quit the stage and the small screen. By then, she had stopped going on the famous countrywide tours with Mukadota who had started perfoming with the likes of Katarina and other new comers. This is how Chenjerai ended up working for OK Zimbabwe before calling it quits in 1984. Moreover, she says she was not getting much from her demanding role as Mai Rwizi “Hapana chandakabuda nacho pamazuva angu namushakabvu Mukadota” (I did not get much from working with Mukadota).
She says what also contributed to her leaving the stage was that in July 1984 she received a calling from God to become a woman of the cloth.
Not many could have imagined Susan Chenjerai, with her natural flair on stage, abandoning the trade to become a pastor.
She is spreading the word in The New Gospel Church of God formed by her husband in the seventies.
Although she had been taking a low profile for many years, Mai Rwizi was in March 2021 honoured by the Professional Women Executives and Business Forum (Proweb) for her role in the arts sector.
She received the accolade alongside some of the country’s luminaries like renowned talk-show hostess Amai Rebecca Chisamba and former Women’s Affairs Minister Dr Olivia Muchena.
Chenjerai has six daughters three of whom are musicians.
Mai Rwizi has vowed never to return to the stage. “I cannot go back to acting because the Lord called me and I cannot serve two masters at the same time.”
She will not return to the stage and the small screen but viewers will continue to enjoy her videos on television. And I might not be the only one who wishes to attend Mai Rwizi’s church service.
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