Wicknell Chivayo pledges US$500k for Thomas Mapfumo to perform for Jah Prayzah

BUSINESSMAN and philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo has pledged US$500 000 to Zimbabwean music legend Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo if he performs at fellow music star Jah Prayzah’s rumoured wedding, which is said to be scheduled for August this year.

In a social media post that has generated widespread debate, Chivayo said although he is yet to receive an invitation to the wedding, he intends to attend regardless and will bring household gifts, including a fridge, microwave, plates and cups, in keeping with traditional wedding gifting.

However, he said the greatest gift he could witness would be seeing Mapfumo, whom he described as Jah Prayzah’s mbira mentor and one of Africa’s greatest Chimurenga music icons, perform at the ceremony.

“If the wedding is there, I will be happy for you to invite the legendary Thomas ‘Mukanya’ Mapfumo to perform on your special day. If he accepts this invitation, I will personally pay him US$500 000 in cash for that performance,” Chivayo wrote.

He went on to make an even bigger pledge, saying that should the wedding performance fail to materialise for any reason, he would invite Mapfumo to perform at his own birthday celebrations.

“I will still gladly invite him to perform for me and my family in my own backyard on my birthday and pay him US$1 million.

It would be an honour for our Chimurenga icon to finally retire from music as a millionaire and perform his last mbira in style,” he said.