Forward Nyanyiwa in CARLOW, Ireland
POOR Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo!
Spare a thought for him.
Somehow, no matter what he does, to some people, he will never be cast in positive light.
Damned if he accepted Wicknell Chivayo’s US$1 million offer to perform at two events in Harare.
Damned if he had rejected the same offer from the late businessman.
Damned if he revealed that he was paid in full ahead of the two performances, which could not be held in the wake of Chivayo death.
Damned if he had revealed that he was not paid even a cent, despite travelling home, for the two events which were never held.
The treatment, which Mukanya received on social media, was simply BRUTAL.
One social media user even mocked him saying “Mukanya is the first man to come for a funeral before the person dies”.
But, as sickening as this sounds, it’s an example of the people that we have become as Zimbabweans.
There was a constituency which felt Mukanya betrayed them by accepting the Chivayo deal.
They even appeared to be happy with the sudden turn of events despite the tragic nature of the circumstances.
When H-Metro exclusively revealed that Mukanya was given his full payment for the deal, before he left his base in the United States, it brought a wave of disappointment to this same constituency.
They had to react.
They bombarded social media again, this time even challenging Mukanya to give them “evidence” of the payment.
It’s as if Mukanya is their employee, as if he works for them, and he has to justify to them every move he makes.
They claimed Chivayo was someone who loved cameras and social media broadcasts whenever he gave someone a gift or money.
They argued that the businessman would have loved to be photographed handing Mukanya his US$1 million package.
It is true that the late businessman liked broadcasting his philanthropic works.
He loved posting all this on his social media handles.
But how many work contracts did he post?
This is where Mukanya’s case was different.
Mukanya did not look for Chivayo for the deal but it was the late businessman who looked for him.
Mukanya agreed and some of us, who are in the know and have covered this story from a very authoritative position from the word go, knew the set of his demands.
This wasn’t a gift to be paraded on social media.
This was a professional contract in which a legendary musician was committing himself to two performances in return of US$1 million.
In that contract, Mukanya agreed to perform and he clearly laid down the rules of engagement.
Payment upfront, no social media noise, related to the contract, and respect of the deal.
When that was met, Mukanya flew home.
Unfortunately, Chivayo died, just days before the first part of the deal – a performance at Jah Prayzah’s wedding – could be fulfilled.
Mukanya committed himself to playing at Jah Prayzah’s wedding, to fulfil part of his deal, whenever it is arranged again.
Muaknya’s case is just a mirror of what we have become as a nation.
We are our worst enemies.
We see it every day here in the Diaspora.
We see how Zimbabweans have turned themselves into specialists of backstabbing and undermining their fellow countrymen and women in these foreign lands.
We know that, even in the recent xenophobia madness in South Africa, there were many Zimbabweans who were betraying their fellow countrymen and women.
There are many stories here in Europe of Zimbabweans who are betraying each other at work places.
That is the kind of people we have become.
Ironically, other Africans are not like us.
The Nigerian Diaspora community is very united, especially here in Europe, they are their brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.
That is why they have become such a powerful community.
I can say the same about the Congolese, Somalians, Ghanaians or even the Indian Diaspora community.
They are such a united people.
Sadly, I can’t say the same about my own people.
Along the way, we have lost the glue that used to bind us as a proud nation and we now using our fury to target the likes of Mukanya.
