Lead by cousins Leonard Zhakata and Thomas Makion, the Maungwe Brothers rose to prominence in the early 1990s. Mixing Zimbabwean rhumba with South and East African sounds, the group recorded their first single, Moyo Muti, in 1988. The cousins continued
to pursue a music career and in 1990 released their debut album Yahira Mhere, which produced the all-time hit Tungidza Gwenya. They also found the charts with Shungu Dzemwoyo.
In 1995 both artists produced solo albums. Makion sang backup on Zhakata's hit Mugove, while Zhakata returned the favour on Makion's debut album Makorokoto. After six years the cousins disbanded to pursue solo careers. Leonard Zhakata went on to form his own group, Zimbabwe Stars, while Makion kept the Maungwe Brothers as his backing band for his own solo career. Makion died in 2001.
