Widows of musicians speak out

As soon as they die, their spouses suddenly find themselves in the deep end of fending for the family.
Then they start swimming against the tide of life.

This is typically what has happened to wives of the late musicians Leornard Musorowenyoka Dembomavara, Mhosva Marasha aka Biggie Tembo, Simon “Chopper” Chimbetu and System Tazvida.

The death of their husbands found them swimming in unfamiliar territory, deeper than they ever expected and today, they pour out their hearts.
Ratidzai Teclar Marasha, Barbara Tazvida, Angela Chimbetu and Eunice Dembo have been forced by their plight to form Musicians Widows Association of Zimbabwe in a desperate attempt to find ways of thwarting their mounting challenges.

Chimbetu’s widow, Angela said life went off the rails as soon as her husband died.
“We were used to good life and my husband used to take good care of the family. He was very organised and he left a lot of assets.

“Now I am a pedestrian, although my husband left a fleet of cars.
“I survive on vending health products and I also sell funeral policies.
“I used to supply eggs but I can’t now because I no longer have a car.

“I must however, thank the children, they are looking after me very well. They pay bills and buy groceries but there are things that I need as a woman,” she said.
Biggie Tembo’s widow Ratidzai, was born in 1965 and by the time her husband died in 1995, she was only 30.

“I had been married to him for 15 years and when he died I decided not to remarry because I wanted to look after my children,” she said.
She now runs a nursery school with her sister Ratidzai. She however, does not regret marrying a musician.

“Kuimba kwake ndiko kwakaita kuti ndisvike pano. I respected and love Biggie for that,” she said.
Her wish is to start farming at her farm in Norton.
“I got a farm but I don’t have the capital to start farming. I wish I could get a loan,” she said.

Ratidzai is a bitter woman since her wrangle with Gramma Records and Metro Studios to which her late husband was signed.
Asked if she knew that The Bhundu Boys belonged to Rise Kagona and not her husband, Ratidzai confirmed that Tembo was only a member but insisted that it was him who composed most of the songs.

Another hot issue was that she claims that the late Tembo had left 16 cattle at his home which were mysteriously taken away.
“I can’t account for the herd of cattle that he had in Hurungwe but I heard there were only two donkeys left,” she said.

Barbara Tazvida said royalties they were getting from record companies were peanuts.
“We are getting peanuts from record companies and we have to venture into other businesses for survival,” she said.

The 41-year-old Barbara said she was into purchase and supply business.
“I order goods from outside Zimbabwe.

“The problem is that I don’t have enough money and if I get a big order, I can’t supply because of I don’t have enough money to do so,” she said.
Dembo’s widow Eunice could not speak on how she was surviving but said: “God is looking after me well.”
“We have good ideas but we don’t have money. We would want private companies to assist us,” said Eunice said.