The “Wapenga
Nayo Bonus” hitmaker’s childhood was an unending story of sorrow, bad luck and
neglect.
Mukwamba’s
three siblings died mysteriously, while his three children have turned their
backs on him.
His two
daughters, he said, are struggling to have children, and his only son does not
communicate with him.
He also claims
that during his music career bullies sidelined him. After moving in with his
first wife, his life was far from a “bed of roses”. He candidly refers to this
marriage as the “mother of all misfortunes”.
In his quest to
find answers to his troubled life, Mukwamba has lost count of the faith healers
he has consulted.
At 78, he feels
drained by the demons that have yet to be exorcised. If “bad luck” had a face,
he feels he would win the title uncontested.
In a
wide-ranging interview with Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Mukwamba
indicated that he is experiencing his own hell on earth.
“I am a dead
man walking,” sighed Mukwamba, who claims to be a stranger to peace.
“I know many
people are tired of my stories, but I will not stop sharing them to ensure that
I get help one day. As a man, I have tried to tackle my problems spiritually,
physically and through my legal advisers but I have lost on many fronts.”
Mukwamba
believes his curse began at a young age after his father, Lawrence, who is now
late, brought misfortune to their home.
“My father,
Lawrence, is the one I blame for some of our problems after he sought lucky
charms,” said the singer.
“He was a
wealthy man who earned a lot from his construction firm as a contractor, but
when he died, he had nothing to show for it. How he used his money remains a
mystery; he did not leave anything for us or his grandchildren.”
He now believes
the family is being made to pay for his father’s sins.
“I am now the
only son alive, while the deaths of all my siblings remain a mystery. My elder
sister, Sophia, suffered from a mysterious illness and died in 1999, just like
that. I had a brother, Edward, who was a school head in Kariba; he died last
year after suffering a mental breakdown.
“We suspect
that he was bewitched, as he acted like someone who had lost his mind. I also
had a younger brother named Clever, who was fatally attacked by a madman while
walking home along a footpath in 2015,” he said.
“I don’t know
what will happen to me, but all the prophets we have consulted agree that my
situation is quite delicate. This coming weekend, I will be going to seek
spiritual help because the situation is now beyond my control.
“I have been
advised that there is a spirit trailing me wherever I go to ensure that
misfortune becomes my middle name.”
The troubled
singer also accused his late wife, Winnie Genia, of burying him alive.
“I met her at
Mverechena growth point, where I used to perform and married her as a single
mother. I acquired a house in Unit K, Chitungwiza, which is still registered in
my name, but I do not have access to it,” recounted Mukwamba.
“Before she
died in 2004, she told me that she had consulted a sangoma and that I would not
have peace in the house. Out of fear for my life, I just walked out with
nothing.
“The person
currently residing in my house is my stepdaughter, who has advised the tenant
there to bar me from accessing it. What pains me the most is that I left my
title deeds, clothes and other belongings there and I cannot access my own
house.”
Adding insult
to injury, he claims his own children want nothing to do with him.
“When I think
of my three children — my son Percy, born in 1974, Linda (1978) and Rudo (1982)
— I shed a tear. Percy is married and hardly looks after me, while my two
daughters are struggling to have children of their own.
“Surely, my
situation is hard because I am always asking myself several questions,” he
lamented.
He said
whenever he finds potential sponsors for his vending business, the deals
somehow inexplicably fail to materialise.
“By the way, I
sometimes get customers who are willing to sponsor me and each time I exchange
contacts with them and book an appointment, my cellphone either freezes or
malfunctions.
“Sometimes,
when I try to contact them, I do not get an answer. I do not blame poor network
coverage because this has been happening for years. I have also received calls
from overseas clients, but each time I want to answer my phone, it freezes. I
am now at a point where I believe that evil people do exist,” he said.
A man of the
people, the singer finds relief in the one room he occupies for free as a
caretaker in Rusape.
“I am not
paying rent where I stay, as the landlord tasked me with looking after the
place. If he changes his mind, I will surely be on the streets of Rusape with
nowhere to go,” he said, fighting back tears.
Mukwamba now
seeks spiritual and financial help.
“I cannot
approach anyone for assistance at the moment because some now refer to me as a
former musician while others claim I am a crybaby.
“At the moment,
I want spiritual and financial help because my condition is now affecting me.
“My stomach has
developed scars that are believed to be caused by invisible spirits stalking
me, known as mabvuri in Shona.”
When asked if
he has lost hope of returning to his home in Chitungwiza, he replied: “To be
honest, I want to go back there but I am being threatened by my stepdaughter. I
recently checked with the Chitungwiza Town Council and I was told that I am
still the rightful owner of the house. The last time I collected rent was in
2004 and you can imagine the loss I have encountered because of bullying.”
He has been
trying to make a comeback in music but feels betrayed by many people he worked
with, including the late leader of the Four Brothers, Marshall Munhumumwe.
“I still want
to pursue music, but I am still bitter with Marshall Munhumumwe, though he is
dead.
“He ruined my
life! He exploited me for years and I kept quiet, hoping he would change until
his demise. Currently, I have been trying to resume shows with Seasons Band,
but we are not making any progress.”
As he reflects
on his life of misfortune and misery, Mukwamba still remains a tormented soul.
Sunday Mail
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