After a successful career with DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra, Cosmas Tobias Chidimule has carried the same passion into gospel singing and preaching.

He has no regrets about crossing over to gospel music.

As a gospel artiste, he has maintained the same zeal and inspiration he displayed during his heyday at DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. He found salvation in 1993 and has since been serving God through music and as a church minister.

“That’s one of the best decisions of my life, and I don’t regret starting my singing career at DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra,” said Chidimule, now a preacher with Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam.

He said preaching the Word of God through music is more fulfilling when one adheres to the doctrines of gospel ministry.

“It pays to guide the flock towards the right path when singing or preaching. I know I’m in the right place, and I am determined to extend this to all parts of the world—even to you,” Chidimule told The Standard during his preaching mission in southern Tanzania, near the Mozambique border, last weekend.

He remains a force to reckon with, just as he was at DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra. He has featured prominently, releasing numerous songs that resonate with his followers.

Asked which song catapulted him to fame in gospel music, he promptly picked Yesu Ni Bwana.

Chidimule has also collaborated with other artistes, including Kenyan gospel singer Rose Muhando, and Tanzanian songstress Martha Baraka three years ago.

“We met in Dar es Salaam, and I asked her if she could join us on a song. She readily accepted, and that is how we ended up collaborating,” he said.

On his standing in the gospel scene as a former celebrated Kiswahili secular musician, he said: “Let my listeners judge me, not myself. Music is like a diet—people have different tastes. Let them judge me.”

Chidimule is one of the finest living composers and singers from the legendary Kiswahili orchestra era of the 1970s to early 1990s. He was once a darling of millions of Kiswahili music fans across East and Central Africa.

At times, he served as a backup singer, effortlessly switching from alto to tenor and bass, showcasing remarkable versatility. He is also an accomplished composer.

His secular compositions were rich in moral lessons, complemented by captivating lyrics, melodies, and well-structured drumbeats.

Chidimule attributed the band’s success to teamwork, humility, and mutual respect—values he continues to uphold in his current ministry.

“Teamwork was our motto, and we have maintained it in gospel ministry. No one was above the other. That is what made us succeed,” said the 75-year-old father of four—three sons and a daughter—all now adults.

He also holds great respect for former DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra lead vocalist Hassan Rehani Bitchuka, who has retired and lives in Dar es Salaam.

As a secular artiste, many of Chidimule’s songs stood out, including Barua Kutoka Kwa Baba, Usipate Taabu Neema, and Usitumie Pesa Kama Fimbo. In most of his compositions, he teamed up with Bitchuka as the lead vocalist, forming the backbone of the orchestra’s front line.

Alongside other band members, many of whom have since passed on, their efforts established DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra as one of the most legendary Kiswahili musical outfits in the region. Many of their songs have stood the test of time and remain unmatched by the current generation, now classified as Zilizopendwa (golden oldies) and still enjoying airplay on Kiswahili radio and TV stations across the region.

Since embracing gospel, Chidimule has travelled widely, taking his evangelism to Germany and the United States.

On gospel music, he urged secular musicians to consider crossing over.

“Secular singers often die before their time due to various factors, including disease. This must change. We must encourage them to see the light,” he said.