Wheels of Memory: Greatman Turns Personal Journey Into a Mission of Hope.
By Southerton Business Times | Harare, Zimbabwe
For musician Tongai Gwaze, popularly known as Greatman, a visit to Mhangura was more than a trip down memory lane. It was a reminder of how far he has travelled and the challenges that shaped his journey.
Returning to the community where he grew up brought back memories of a childhood in which even the simplest journeys depended on someone else's willingness to help. Going to school or attending church meant relying on people to push his wheelchair. Mobility was not something he could take for granted.
In a social media post reflecting on his visit, Greatman recalled those early days,
"Haaa makumbo ndambomachinjanisa, just visited kumusha kwandakakurira kuMhangura ayo ndomawheelchair ayiita ndikwanise kupushiwa kuyenda kuchikoro or kuchurch ndandisati ndave neinofamba yega iyi"
Today, the story looks different, because he now has a wheelchair that moves on its own, a wheelchair that does not need pushing, as he says in his own post.
But he has not forgotten where he started and that is why he is pushing his wheelchair drive, under his Vision 2040 Makumbo Kuvanhu which is aimed at providing wheelchairs to people living with disabilities who cannot afford them.
In October 2024, Nehanda Radio reported that he had approached the City of Harare over accessibility barriers affecting people with disabilities, calling for improved access to public and private amenities.
His wheelchair campaign has also attracted public support. In November 2025, The Herald reported that Greatman was among five young people with disabilities who received vehicles from President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Each beneficiary was also allocated 10 wheelchairs to distribute within their communities.
The support was intended to strengthen their ability to reach and assist other people living with disabilities. For Greatman, the Mhangura visit brings these efforts into perspective. He remembers a time when getting to school or church depended on another person's generosity. Today, he is working to ensure that others do not have to face the same barriers without assistance.
His story also highlights a wider issue in Zimbabwe: the cost and availability of assistive devices, particularly wheelchairs, for people who cannot afford them. A wheelchair is more than a piece of equipment. It can mean access to education, participation in community life, independence and the freedom to move without constantly relying on another person.
From being pushed to school and church to championing a campaign that seeks to put wheels within reach of others, Greatman has turned his memories into a movement.
Sometimes, the greatest journeys are not measured by how far we travel, but by how many people we help move forward.
Greatman wheelchair campaign
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