The highly anticipated homecoming and farewell performance of Chimurenga music icon Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo, scheduled for April in Harare, is reportedly hanging in the balance amid internal family resistance, compounded by growing concerns over the veteran musician’s financial situation.
Sources close to the Mapfumo family say sharp disagreements have emerged over the timing and motivation behind Mukanya’s proposed return to Zimbabwe, particularly his decision to prioritise a commercial concert after failing to attend the burial of his younger brother and long-time bandmate, Lancelot Mapfumo.
Lancelot, a backbone of Blacks Unlimited for more than four decades, died in September 2022 in the United States after a prolonged battle with cancer.
His body was repatriated and buried at his rural home in Guruve. Mukanya did not return for the funeral, citing grave security concerns and insisting at the time that his life would be at risk under the prevailing political environment.
“The family is questioning why political considerations were strong enough to stop him from burying his brother, but are no longer an obstacle when it comes to a music show,” a source close to the family said.
Another insider said the dispute has reopened painful wounds.
“For some relatives, Lancelot’s death remains unresolved emotionally. They feel the planned concert sends the wrong message and places commercial interests above family obligations,” the source said.
The disagreement has reportedly stalled preparations for the farewell gig, with organisers now unsure whether the legendary musician will proceed amid the resistance.
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However, sources say the family tensions are unfolding against the backdrop of mounting financial pressures on Mukanya, who is believed to be facing serious economic challenges after decades in exile.
“Mukanya is not as financially secure as many people assume,” a source familiar with his circumstances said.
“There is a growing feeling among some musicians and politicians in Zimbabwe that he should reconsider Wicknell Chivayo’s offer of a house and a top-of-the-range vehicle.”
The controversial businessman had previously offered Mapfumo a house and a luxury vehicle, an offer the musician publicly rejected, stating he would not accept gifts linked to corruption. Insiders now claim the offer has resurfaced in private discussions as Mapfumo’s situation worsens.
“People close to him are pushing him to accept the offer, arguing that after all these years in the music industry, Mukanya has nothing tangible to show for it,” the source said.
According to sources, Mapfumo’s rural home in Guruve is said to be in a dilapidated state, while he reportedly does not own a house in Harare.
In the United States, where he has lived for years, the musician is believed to be largely supported by his wife and his married daughter.
“He is being taken care of by family in the US,” another insider said.
“Recent shows in South Africa and the UK have flopped, and that has only worsened his financial situation.”
Mapfumo’s personal and financial struggles are inseparable from his long and volatile relationship with the Zimbabwean state.
A former political detainee under the Rhodesian regime, he later became one of the fiercest critics of the post-independence government, releasing protest songs such as Corruption and Mamvemve that highlighted state rot and economic decline.
He relocated to Oregon in the early 2000s, citing harassment and intimidation.
Although he returned briefly after the 2017 political transition for a “Big Bira” concert, the reconciliation was short-lived, with Mapfumo soon emerging as a vocal critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, repeatedly describing himself as a “marked man”.
It is this long-standing claim — that returning home puts his life at risk — that family members are now questioning.
“They want clarity,” a source said.
“If it was unsafe to return for a funeral, why is it safe now, especially when money is involved?”
Neither Mapfumo nor his management team had commented publicly on the reported family objections or claims of financial distress at the time of publication.
Efforts to obtain an official response were unsuccessful.
