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NewsDay

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Musicians fail to attend Mutare Music Festival

Life & Style
MUSICIANS Oliver Mtukudzi, Sulumani Chimbetu and Hosiah Chipanga failed to attend Mutare Music Festival and the charity match played on Saturday.

MUSICIANS Oliver Mtukudzi, Sulumani Chimbetu and Hosiah Chipanga failed to attend Mutare Music Festival and the charity match played at Sakubva Stadium on Saturday.

Report by Entertainment Reporters

Mtukudzi is currently on a two-month tour in the United Kingdom while Chimbetu was performing at the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority carnival in Harare.

Chipanga excused himself from the show by texting a message to the show promoter Patson Chimbodza that he had a breakdown in Mashava.

Fans went wild shouting Mtukudzi and Chimbetu’s names with some threatening to take action if the musicians failed to turn up for the show.

Chimbetu opted to perform at the Carnival Queen Zimbabwe pageant in Harare despite his initial commitment to perform in Mutare.

It was not clear why Mtukudzi did not travel to Mutare, but sources say the family had a private function in Norton on Saturday. Mtukudzi’s spokesperson Shepherd Mutamba refused to comment on the issue referring questions to the musician’s manager Sam Mataure whose mobile number was not reachable yesterday.

Some music fans in Mutare expressed disappointment at the musicians’ failure to turn up for the social event.

“Look, we have paid ten dollars with the intention to see Mtukudzi, but we can’t see him here which I think is very unfair to us,” said a disgruntled fan.

Some of them had to wait outside, vowing they would pay to get in when they saw Mtukudzi coming at the venue.

Patson Chimbodza of Chipaz Promotions told NewsDay that it was just unfortunate that the musicians failed to come.

“We were informed at the eleventh hour that these musicians were not coming, but we always urge musicians to be organised,” said Chimbodza.

Sungura ace Alick Macheso and Leonard Zhakata’s performances brought life to the event that was dampened by the absence of the trio.

The two performed after Peter Moyo had warmed the stage with the sampling of new songs including Tutsotso and Mushonga Mukuru.

Zhakata took to the stage after Moyo and delivered a well-polished act he sealed with one of his yesteryear hits Mugove.

Songs Ndangariro and Batai Mazwi were among the crowd’s favourite songs from the musician’s play list.

Macheso joined him for the song Mugove and fans cheered as the two musicians performed together.

Songs Macharangwanda, Shedia, Petunia and Chimoko proved to be popular.

As if this was not enough, the musician became the centre of attraction at Sakubva Stadium where soccer legends crashed musicians eight goals to five.

The moment he arrived at the stadium, some fans jumped onto the pitch to get closer to the musician.

Police details were called to clear the crowds who had mobbed the musician’s BMW X5 car.

Despite the bad weather that was characterised by intermittent showers, fans enjoyed the day under their umbrellas.