VG: Can you take us through your memories of Dr Tuku’s last
moments?
DM: Our last days were as if he knew he was going. However,
it was apparent that Sam’s (Mtukudzi) death continued to affect him years
after, even on his deathbed. But, it is events of his last day in hospital that
keep playing in my mind. The hospital staff called asking me to come, because
he kept calling my name all day. I swiftly responded and went there. Upon
arrival, the first thing he said was ‘‘Dee, take my ring with you’.’ We used to
call each other Dee, which for others is short for Daisy and Dairai, but, to
us, it was for darling.
He asked the nurse who had put the ring in storage to give
it to me. I took it and told him I was putting it on. Since then, I have never
removed it; it makes me feel close to him. His last words were ‘‘Dee, I love
you!’’ and just after that, the machines started buzzing as he breathed his
last.
VG: How is life without him and what do you miss most?
DM: What I miss most about Samanyanga is the soulmate that
he was. Barely an hour would pass by without us communicating, even if he was
away. I miss those calls; we always checked up on each other often. I feel
lonely. I have no one to discuss issues with.
We discussed before making any decision, regardless of how
small it was. Sometimes I get carried away, looking at my phone hoping that he
is going to call. It is tough to find anyone to fill the gap he left in my
life. Life has been empty without him; a part of me is gone. I am still
grieving.
VG: We understand he left behind some unfinished work. What
are your plans for the project?
DM: Sadly, the notepad that contained the project he was
working on was stolen. Someone broke into the office where we kept it, thus
there no longer is any pending project to talk about. However, he was also
working on something with Mbeu (Ashton Nyahora) and it will be released soon.
We are also planning to establish a Dr Tuku museum, where his regalia,
equipment, etcetera, will be displayed.
VG: What are your sentiments about allegations that he
neglected a part of his family?
DM: Tuku was a family man. He always made time for his
family despite his busy schedule. Also, he made sure his children were provided
for. All his children were in boarding schools. Sometimes we would go for
visits together, but oftentimes Tuku would go alone as I had a demanding
office. However, during school holidays we made sure that the maid took a break
as we wanted our kids to learn to do general chores.
I understood that Tuku had other kids besides mine, and my
hands were open to all. I loved them equally; likewise, now as a mother, and my
door is open to all of them. I do not understand where issues of neglect
emanated from. Up to now, I do not have a problem with any one of the children.
They are all free to approach me. We were partners (with Tuku) in everything.
We discussed all our moves, budgeted towards our projects and always stuck to
the plan.
VG: How did you relate in private?
DM: As a couple, we grew to become best friends and we were
together most of the time. Tuku wanted us to spend as much time as we could
together, which is why we sometimes travelled together. When the trips were
long, I would let them travel then join them later. We barely had conflicts
because we had learnt to respect each other in our respective work spaces. I
understood the nature of his job.
Sometimes female fans would even throw themselves at him, a
lot would also be written about him, but because we were best friends, I
understood him beyond that. At home, we would talk about some of the incidents
and laugh it off. Tuku taught me to act as if nothing happened around us and
that lesson brought us far. On special occasions like Valentines’ (Day) or on
my birthday, he always made sure to spoil me. I always got a card and a bunch
of flowers. I have more than 37 cards (birthday) in my archive. He also took me
to countless lunch and dinner dates. I also discovered after his death (2019)
that he had set in motion plans to take me to Kariba for a houseboat treat for
my 60th birthday.
VG: Can you share with us some of the things he did at
home?
DM: Tuku valued spending time at home such that even after
his out-of-town shows, he would drive back home. I was against it. I knew he
would be tired, but after returning he would say; ‘‘I had missed home and your
cooking, Dee’’. He loved watching movies and never mixed his private life with
business.
Probably that is why he would avoid answering calls when he
was home. Sometimes we would watch soccer, making a lot of noise and laughing.
He also had some ‘‘special’’ home decorating skills and often corrected me.
Spending time in the garden was also one of his hobbies or playing with his
grandchildren whenever they were around.
VG: When and how did you meet Dr Mtukudzi?
DM: It was back in 1980, in Kwekwe. He was friends with my
late uncle Samuel Matiza. At that time, I was staying with my uncle, so one day
they came to my workplace, although I did not recognise him even after
introducing himself. Since then, he would frequent my workplace and months
later, he made his intentions known both to me and my uncle. However, being a
village girl, it took me almost a year to agree to date him.
He would call me daily on our landline. One day in 1981,
Oliver’s then manager, Jack Sadza, called, asking me to travel to Harare and
meet the Mtukudzi family, but I refused, which prompted Oliver to then call my
uncle and plead with him for permission. The following day we met in Harare
only to discover that Oliver had in fact planned to take me to Malawi, where he
had a gig.
I was reluctant at first, but he was a charmer; he had his
way around me. However, landing in Lilongwe, Malawi, one of my worst fears was
confirmed — we met my uncle’s neighbour who worked at the airport, and when he
saw me, he asked why I was in Malawi with some unknown men. It was Oliver,
Sadza, another man and myself.
Despite giving him several explanations and trying to
silence him, he went on to inform my uncle. What was supposed to be our first
trip together and be fun turned out to be horror. I was now stressed and
yearned to go back home. I had my own room and I recall the sleepless nights as
fear of what would happen if they got the news at home wiped away all the
excitement.
Just as Oliver had promised my uncle, in two days, we were
back in Harare before driving me straight home, where, upon arrival, I could
tell something was wrong. My father had just come from our rural home. Without
much negotiation, together with Oliver we were asked to go back from wherever
we had come from.
Without any change of clothes, we left for Harare and that
was the beginning of my life with Oliver.
Later that year, he paid dowry and in 1982 we had our
firstborn. Considering the time I got married and the time Selmor was to be
born, 1983, it is clear there was some mischief, but I decided not to be harsh
or hold grudges over the issue.
VG: Are you still pursuing music?
DM: I am neither a good vocalist nor a good dancer like
Tuku was. It is actually him who kept talking me into singing.
VG: Any words of comfort to the Manatsa family following
the demise of veteran musician Zexie Manatsa?
DM: Losing Baba Manatsa comes as a great shock and loss to
the family and the nation at large. He (Manatsa) and Tuku came a long way, with
the bond later being cemented by our kids. It’s a huge blow to all of us. May
the family be consoled by God. Sunday Mail
0 comments:
Post a Comment