By Kennedy Nyavaya
Moments after midnight, two attractive women who have been seated at one of the few tables inside a half-full City Sports Bar advance towards the stage where they stand gazing closely at contemporary musician Andy Muridzo perform.
Born Andrew Ngwenya, the dreadlocked vocalist donned a sky-blue sporty tracksuit and Balenciaga sneakers as he led new faces constituting the Jeetaz Band troop last week.
Two weeks ago, one of these ladies, known as Nyari Mukucha, accepted Muridzo’s proposal in a public show of affection that confirmed what the rumour mill had long hinted.
Word on the street had for long underlined that Muridzo was having an affair with a rich city woman, at one point believed to have been funding and managing his talent, much to the disgust of some former band members.
The concealed union, believed to have started late last year, also raised the ire of many among his diehard followers who saw Muridzo’s separation with his wife as a selfish and imprudent move.
“When my name became known it was because of music and not personal life, so it is unfair that this [news about his relationships] has jeopardised my career,” Muridzo said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
But, this is not the first time that Muridzo has done that. In 2017, the Dherira singer shocked many after the revelation that he had been two-timing his then wife with raunchy dancer Beverly Sibanda.
The storm calmed after he admitted his misdemeanour and reconciled with his baby mama known to many as Mai Keketso.
However, Muridzo’s current engagement has raised dust with questions being asked why a growing number of artistes seem to have taken to hoping from one bed to the other in carefree fashion particularly with rich women.
In the past, the showbiz sector has been fed the stereotype that only female artistes are supplementing meagre earnings from art through affairs with “sugar daddies”, but of late it is more of their male counterparts turning into the proverbial gold diggers.
In 2016 the nation woke up to the drama of a United Kingdom-based beauty named Olinda Chapel, a mother of three, who has been married to and subsequently estranged from musicians Stunner to Tytan.
After both splits, Chapel went live claiming that both men were after an array of favours, mainly financial, when they deceived her into relationships.
“It seems as if right now what he is concerned about is his visa because Tytan is on a spousal visa, he is only entitled to be in the UK as long as he is married to me,” Chapel revealed in one of her teary live chronicles of the unofficial divorce with the Bho singer.
The story was similar to another one some two years ago when the same woman made similar claims about Stunner, who then was said to have been after material goodies that Chapel had on offer.
It is not clear how these “independent ladies”, most of whom are said to be groupies initially, end up in the arms of artistes.
It would seem as if they are interested in fame by association or the reverence that comes with being a celebrity partner.
Claims of gold digging have always been cited every time things go wrong.
“I have always been there for him all the times but he would not return the favour. He cheated on me, I spent my fortune on him and I have experienced all kinds of abuse…” Nox’s ex- lover and socialite, popularly known as Amai Gamu, was quoted saying in a local tabloid after a chaotic split.
Unfazed, the Ndinonyara singer recently proposed to a UK-based woman named Tallyn, who ironically has been in a relationship with Zimdancehall chanter Jay C, while at some point she was said to have flirted with Tytan.
Showbiz circles have been inundated with stories about EX-Q, Carlos Green and even Jah Prayzah, whose cosy picture with ex-Zifa CEO Henrietta Rushwaya caused a stir not so long ago. It appears too much of a coincidence that more male artistes end up with financially-stable women who are casually labelled “sugar mummies”.
This begs the question whether there is sincerity or courtship has been turned into an income stream to sustain opulent lifestyles associated with being a celebrity.
But, if it were pure love, a feeling associated with devotion and attachment, it would conquer all and certainly last longer. For Muridzo’s fiancée, it is not certain how many of these live shows she will attend or when the dreadful news of separation will come, if ever.
However, the end is almost predictable given the history of such relationships that have crumbled like a house of cards exposing local male artistes’ knack for “sugar mummies”.
