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Showbiz Reporter
On Saturday evening, Selmor Mtukudzi, daughter of the late music legend Oliver Mtukudzi, broke down as she expressed her feelings of exclusion from her father’s legacy.
Emotions overwhelmed the musician during her performance at the inuaugural Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of the Arts (Omifa) held at Pakare Paye Arts Centre in Norton, Zimbabwe, forcing her to abandon the stage moments after she began her set.
She thanked the crowd for their support, but with a voice cracking and tears streaming down her face, she left the stage abruptly.
In a heartfelt address before her exit captured during her Facebook live recording, Selmor said, “I have wanted to be on this stage for so many years but was always denied the chance. If it weren’t for you, my supporters, I wouldn’t be here. How long will you keep fighting for me? I wonder if the dead can hear. I want to thank my father, who worked hard to build this wonderful place, but what he wanted is not what’s happening now… How long will I be treated like an outsider at my own father’s events?”
Despite efforts from her sister Sandra, husband Tendai Manatsa, and Tuku’s legendary dancer Eric “Piki” Kasamba to comfort and encourage her to continue, Selmor was too emotional to carry on with her performance.
Selmor was initially left out of the lineup for the two-day festival, being held in honour of her father. However, she was added at the last minute following public outcry from fans.
When contacted by The Herald about Selmor’s exclusion at the time, Tuku’s widow, Daisy Mtukudzi, expressed her frustration with the ongoing family tensions.
“I am tired of this issue because people will always blame me. I was informed by the event organisers that she wasn’t answering her calls. Selmor was supposed to be leading us, but she is difficult,” Daisy said.
Daisy also dismissed claims that Selmor was being treated like an outcast, saying, “I don’t know what people expect me to do for Selmor. She is not a minor anymore. She knows the right thing to do to protect the family name.”
Chairperson of the Arts Promoters Association of Zimbabwe, Partson “Chipaz” Chimbodza, also commented on the rift within the Mtukudzi family in an earlier interview with The Herald.
“Without taking sides, Selmor should have reached out to other family members when the festival news surfaced. This drama helps no one because the event is theirs. That said, there should be communication between Daisy and Selmor. I also fault Daisy for not working to resolve this impasse, which has dragged on for years.”
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