adminremuneration.
While Macheso confirmed the departure of the pair, the absence of lead guitarist Noel Nyazanda left fans begging for answers.
“I have heard a lot of people and the media saying Macheso’s whole band left, what kind of a situation is that? Pabatisei ipapo, vaviri ndivo vakafunga kuita zindoga vozozvionera mberi. Jonasi naObert ndivo vakabuda pachena kuti varikuda kumbozorora. Zvisinei, ndakavati vakomana itai zvamafunga, isu tiri veOrchestra Mberikwazvo zvichireva kuti hatimiri.
“Mwari akaona zvakakodzera kuti abvise manhanga akaora pane akanaka. Kana varipachokwadi kuti varikuda kuzorora hazvina kuipa kana vada zveband tinozongoona maposter avemumigwagwa, hazvivanzike (God has plans for the departure of the two. If they decided to take a break without the intention of starting their own band there is no problem and if they want their own band we are going to see posters and it will not be a secret),” said Macheso.
The sungura outfit was scheduled to perform in Gweru on Saturday, but the show was cancelled.
The band management attributed this to the cancellation of their Bulawayo show on Friday which would have been a counter attraction to a festival in the city.
The Gweru show would have been covered as the band returned from Bulawayo.
Although there are fears that the band might collapse owing to the flight of band members, the sungura maestro is not new to such setbacks.
Last year, popular dancer Franco “Slomo” Dhaka, backing vocalist Elton Muropa and guitarist Noel Nyazanda left Macheso to join Suluman Chimbetu’s Orchestra Dendera Kings.
Nyazanda, however, later rejoined Macheso. According to a band member who spoke on condition of anonymity, problems started a few months ago when allowances and appearance fees were inexplicably slashed by more than 50 percent.
“We were shocked to have our salaries cut by almost 50 percent. We tried to talk to the management about our grievances, but it was all in vain,” he said.
Another band member said all was not well within the group.
“I am currently out of town attending to personal issues but what I can tell you is that things are not well within the group. Morale is at its lowest and there seems to be no room for reconciliation,” he said.
Sources said Macheso sent his daughter Sharon to study overseas while band members were wallowing in poverty.
She is believed to have gone to China to further her studies.
Online Reporter