LAST night, Chama Fumba or as the streets know him, Pilato, returned to the craft that once made him a household name as he stripped off his government name and title for a microphone to step onto the stage at the King Dandy Krazy tribute concert.
This time around, the Arts Permanent Secretary did not arrive in his official capacity but came as an artiste ready to pay homage to a dear brother whom he said paved the way for his and other Zambian artistes’ success.
The tribute concert, held in honour of the late Dandy Krazy, affectionately called “Bashi Toto” by most of his close friends was already charged with emotion.
Music performers and music lovers alike gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of the Copperbelt icon, who tragically died in a road accident in the first week of 2025.
With an already charged atmosphere, Pilato took the stage, shifting it into something more electrifying as he sang one of his hit songs “Ichashishita.”
“Pi Piiiiilato, ichashishita, Icho, ichashishita, uyo, ichashishita, yeh Iyeh Iyeh,” sang the PS as the crowd, all went gaga!
Cheers turned into chants, chants into singing, and the entire arena was a chorus, reliving the lyrics that had once echoed through the streets of Zambia.
Others raised their hands, some with phones in the air, capturing the surreal moment when the man who once rallied the nation through music returned to his roots.
Dressed simply, far from the polished suits of his government office, Pilato was no longer the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts but he was just Pilato, a musician and voice of the people, paying tribute to a brother in music.
The performance could show that fans missed the sounds of Pilato behind the mic as they sang along to his song with affection.
For Pilato, the performance seemingly wasn’t just any other performance as it seemed visibly personal – it was a special moment to honour his fallen Kopala brother who will continue to rise through his works that will outlive him even in his death.
