daniel chigunwe
Trust Khosa
WE were right!
As we correctly announced last week, with a front-page story, Chimurenga guru Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo was going to accept the US$1 million offer to play two shows in Zimbabwe.
He will play at Jah Prayzah’s wedding and at businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s birthday later this year.
His inner circle told us that the good money was on Mukanya accepting the offer as it was a business transaction.
Yesterday, after days of intense speculation, including old videos being replayed on social media to hoodwink people that Mukanya had turned down the offer, the Chimurenga music legend spoke for the first time on the subject.
He used a video to ensure that there won’t be some who will dispute his words or misquote him. In the video posted online, Mukanya accepted US$500,000 to grace Jah Prayzah’s wedding and a further US$500,000 to perform at Chivayo’s birthday in November.
“I am coming to perform at Jah Prayzah’s wedding and Wicknell Chivayo’s birthday,” he said.
Earlier this month, H-Metro interviewed Mukanya’s former handlers, who, like this publication, correctly predicted the icon was going to accept the offer.
The best interview came from his nephew Kurai Makore who told this publication that he had a lengthy conversation with Mukanya and that he hinted he would be coming.
“I had to be frank that this was the time for him to come and perform,” he said.
“I am glad he is coming, and he is doing that as a contractual obligation to perform at two events.”
H-Metro Editor, Robson Sharuko, said newspapers lived and died on their credibility and to get it right, on such a major story, was very good for the tabloid.
“It’s quite delicate because one it was a major story and two there was some history to it and the pressure from many sides, with their own agendas, made it a very challenging subject to deal with,” said Sharuko.
“As an Editor, you have to go with your instincts and you know that you are gambling not only your reputation but also the reputation of your publication.
“When the picture began to emerge that there was a likelihood Mukanya was going to accept the offer this time around, thanks to the excellent reporting and good sourcing from our team, I had to make the call whether to go with it or hold on for a moment.
“There is always the danger that it can all explode in your face, if you get it wrong, and you can only image the damage that will come through, especially on social media, if it emerges that your story was wrong.
“I mean, you run a front page story today and publish it tomorrow and by the time it is on the streets there is already a video recorded in America saying exactly the opposite of what you are reporting.
“These are moments that can break a newspaper and with all the hostility on social media, you can only image what would happen on such a day.
“But, we trusted our sources and I want to take this opportunity to thank Kurai Makore who impressed me with his honesty and frankness when he was dealing with a very difficult subject and kept giving us the correct information.”
Makore has been named by Mukanya as the heir to his Chimurenga music throne.
Online Reporter