Macheso Manager cash over abuse of funds

Benz wakatenga nei? Macheso and long time Manager fall out over funds

All is not well at Macheso’s stable, Orchestra Mberikwazvo as the big boss, Alick, has clashed with his long time Manager and friend Willia Tsandukwa over abuse of funds.

Tsandukwa has been Macheso’s manager since 1998 when he broke away from his mentor, Nicholas Zakaria. Reports are that Tsandukwa is the one who bailed out Macheso when he was hopeless and broke after his squabbles with Madzibaba hence Tsandukwa’s stay at Mberikwazvo is reportedly more to do with Macheso’s gratitude rather than the former’s managerial acumen.

But their long standing friendship is now in tatters, following a public spat during a show in Gweru on May 3. Moles said Macheso confronted Tsandukwa in front of other band members and accused him of abusing money and running down the band.

“Macheso accused Tsandukwa of swindling him of his money, adding that he is now tired of the conduct.”

Apparently Tsandukwa arrived after the rest of the band in a ‘new’ set of wheels, a Benz, whose specific model was not stated. Emotions flared high since band members had not been paid their dues.

According to the mole, Macheso was not amused by Tsandukwa’s antics and asked him where he got the money to buy the Benz to which Tsandukwa replied that the car was a fruit of his ‘hard work’ at his farm.

“Macheso said ‘mota murikumbodzitenga nei?.. and Tsandukwa replied saying ‘Kushanda Mudhara‘. That is when Macheso openly told him that he was fed up with him because of his abuse of Ochestra Mberikwazvos funds.

A promoter who was present during the fracas reportedly intervened and stopped the drama.

Reached for a comment, Tsandukwa confirmed the debacle saying it was not an uncommon thing for buddies to quarrel.
“I knew that some people would talk about this issue.Let them talk but I don’t think that its an issue to write about in the newspapers. Even best friends can exchange harsh words become enemies briefly but later resolve the problems. So you want to tell me that you have never had a dispute with your friends? Makatombotukanawo and there is nothing amiss about such things.

“People will say whatever they want but there is something between us(him and Macheso) that people don’t know. Apart from work, he is my friend,” said Tsandukwa.

The mole said Tsandukwa got really mad because Macheso had reprimanded him in front of employees. Another mole who claimed to have talked to Tsandukwa after the boob said the experience Manager was deleting all the contacts to do with showbiz saying Macheso’s mouth sometimes runs away from him and that he lacks respect.

“He was inconsolable after the incident and I saw him busy deleting all the showbiz contacts,” said the mole.

Tsandukwa bunked Macheso’s tour of Mat North at the weekend and also did not turn up at the usual band’s caucus. Red Cross, where Macheso is an ambassador, handled his weekend shows.

On reports that he had been asked to leave the band, Tsandukwa said that if that eventuality comes to pass, he will remain friends with Alick.

“Look here my guy, If I am to leave Macheso right now, we remain friends so I don’t know why people are making so much noise about this. I am with Macheso right now and he said nothing about that, but then people always talk you see,” he said.

Macheso who had been bedeviled with a plethora of problems ranging from career to his family, fired Jatiel Machanja, who was an assistant to Tsandukwa.

Muchanja was dismissed on allegations of funds abuse and Tsandukwa was fingered in the issue, but only slightly such that he survived the first axe.