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StarBrite, Shumba in tussle over award

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MBIRA musician Brighton Shumba, who won last year’s edition of StarBrite, yesterday said he still felt entitled to his award despite indications that the talent show’s organisers have opted to grant the award to the two runners-up, amid allegations that the winner had breached their contract.

MBIRA musician Brighton Shumba, who won last year’s edition of StarBrite, yesterday said he still felt entitled to his award despite indications that the talent show’s organisers have opted to grant the award to the two runners-up, amid allegations that the winner had breached their contract.

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO

After winning the show early this year, Shumba was entitled to a $25 000 package that included a residential stand, 20 000 bricks, $1 000 cash, a funeral policy with Doves, a trip to Victoria Falls, a scholarship from Music Cross Roads and a recording contract.

Shumba, however, expressed bitterness that he had not accessed the prize and was not happy that StarBrite wanted exclusive rights over him, when he had another contract elsewhere.

“I will not sign for StarBrite. All I want is my award and my wining package since I had signed already with someone who helped me in my journey. So I will not abandon such a person who had helped me and continues to assist me,” he told NewsDay yesterday.

“After I won the contract, it was all over the media that I had pocketed $25 000, among other prizes, yet I did not receive any cent from them. All I want is my wining package that I was promised in front of the whole world.”

StarBrite executive director Barney Mpariwa, however, said Shumba could not access his prize because he had violated the show’s rules and regulations.

“The 2016 StarBrite winner did not get his prize because he broke the conditions of the contract between himself and StarBrite. The management of StarBrite have given Shumba ample opportunities to sign the contract in order for him to be eligible for his prizes. It is, therefore, regrettable that the contract had to be vacated,” he said

Mpariwa said Shumba’s winning packages would now be conferred to Petros Zimuto and Millicent Chapwanya, who were tied in second place and the pair have been named the official StarBrite ambassadors for Season 5.

Mpariwa said Shumba refused to sign a second contract after winning the show, which would have entitled him to the awards and seen him becoming a StarBrite ambassador.

According to the contract, which Shumba refused to sign, StarBrite would have taken over the management of the former’s music career, among other things.