KOTSANAI Matereke, the organiser of Spread The Love Festival that was held at the Zimbabwe Germany Society on Saturday has come under fire from members of the public who came for the show.
WINSTONE ANTONIO
Fans who graced the event expressed bitterness over Matereke’s advertising that said jazz musician Duduzile Manhenga would headline the festival yet she was reportedly in Ghana.
Many of Dudu Manhenga’s fans who spoke to NewsDay at the show had no kind words for the organiser describing him as a “robber”.
One of the fans who identified herself as Melindah Mpofu said: “I travelled from Bindura to come and see my favourite artiste Dudu performing only to be told that her younger sister Uzah had replaced her. This is robbery and only if I could get back my money.”
Another reveller who only identified himself as Bernard shared the same sentiments with Mpofu.
“This is a bad habit by these organisers, advertising artistes without contracts with them. I came for this show with my family since we are Dudu’s admirers only to be told that she was not coming and no refunds were to be made,” she fumed.
Commenting on the issue, Matereke said the situation was beyond his control and he was also disappointed by Dudu’s no show.
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“We had agreed with Dudu and she signed the contract that she was going to perform after her Ghana tour as she told me that she would be back in the country on February 19 only to be told that she was not yet back,” Matereke said.
Efforts to get a comment from Manhenga’s manager before going for print were fruitless as he was not picking up the call.
The relationship between promoters in the entertainment industry and its followers has been tense with the former being criticised for advertising popular artistes for their shows without their consent in order to woo large crowds.
There have been reports of musicians like Alick Macheso, Peter Moyo, Jah Prayzah and Sulumani Chimbetu being some of the artistes that have been featured on posters advertising shows where they never pitched up at all.
The situation has seen many artistes like Guspy Warrior, Shinsoman and latest victim Soul Jah Love being labelled as “no-show artistes”.
The festival was celebrating various artistic disciplines that comprised fashion, music and dance, and brought together people from different parts of the country, but with one message to spread the love.
Multi-talented drummer Blessing Chimanga, popularly known as Bled, Adiona Maboreke, Uzah and Tariro Negitare put up sterling performances.
