Cosmas Thobias Chidumule

Country	Tanzania

Cosmas Thobias Chidumule, also known as the "King of Bongo beat music," is a renowned Tanzanian singer and songwriter, born in 1950 in the village of Mbimbi, Namtumbo District (Ruvuma). He was the first male child in his family. After his father, who had worked as a land surveyor for the Tanzanian government, passed away, life became difficult for the family, leading to him cutting short his education. He then moved to Ruvuma town to stay with a close friend of his late father, who was also a leader in the TANU political party and owned a music band.

Chidumule's musical journey began when this local leader appointed him as a security guard and caretaker of the band's instruments, which provided him with the opportunity to teach himself how to play them, especially the guitar. His singing talent emerged when a guest from Congo convinced him to perform a song, after which Chidumule shared his own composition, "Tanzania ni Nchi Nzuri Sana." In 1970, he began playing music with the TAS Band, where he excelled on the Bass Guitar and was hired immediately. The following year, he moved to Dar es Salaam. By 1973, his star was rising, and he joined the Western Jazz band, where he remained for four years before co-founding Dar es Salaam International, a band that became very popular among the youth of East Africa.

Chidumule's career continued to evolve through his association with some of Tanzania's most famous orchestras. In 1984, he was part of the group that broke away from Mlimani Orchestra to form the DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra. Later, in 1991, he was entrusted with instruments by the late Remi Ongala to start a new band called Serengeti, which was later broken up and succeeded by the Orchestre Super Matimila, further strengthening his musical position. Over time, Chidumule transitioned into Christian music, with albums like Yesu ni Bwana (1998) and Kimbilia Kwa Yesu (2000), featuring songs such as "Hosanna," "Kimbilia Kwa Yesu," and a collaboration with Rose Muhando on "Imeandikwa Wapi."

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