Mashakada’s wife in band wrangle

By Prince Mushawevato

While the stock of most international musicians rises when they die, their empires posting huge profits posthumously, locally death does not only carry away our songsters but it seems to linger around to destroy what they would have built.

It is only after years of battle that fortunes of departed musicians are revived.

And the revival has never been an easy process, again it appears the force that carries away band leaders is not content with that mission only but also poisons the mindsets of those left behind for always soon after the demise of founders chaos reigns supreme.

The Muddy Face is facing a similar fate after the departure of Cephas Mashakada to the yonder world.

But his widow Eunice has refused to be bogged down by the numerous challenges and difficulties that have come her way.

She has literally refused and resisted becoming a charity case.

Eunice said though she has had to endure anguish after her husband’s death caused by a former band member and Mashakada’s daughters, life, financially, has begun to be smooth flowing.

Hiccups, she noted, were still on the social side.

Eunice said she has managed to replace some of the property she lost after the distribution of the late musician’s estate and has also renovated her house in Chitungwiza.

“I lost almost everything when my husband died. And through hard work, I have now purchased myself a new car, lorry and another house,” she said.

Eunice said the car, household furniture, a lorry (Mazda T35) and public address system that she had lost were bought using her money but was at peace with those that sought the destruction of the Muddy Face.

“For the 31 years I stayed with Cephas, I used to take care of him and I’m the one who bought him his first musical kit, a fact the ZMC managing director Emmanuel Vori or Mashakada’s parents can testify to. But soon after his death, people that did not visit him in hospital or at home came making all sorts of threats (death included) and I decided to let go of the things. I did not want to get myself into unnecessary squabbles with his family members,” explained Eunice.

“However, I’m surprised that after taking such a move, some of them still have the guts to keep on making unnecessary threats to me,” she added.

Currently, Eunice is in the studio working on her second album which is yet to be titled. Her first six-track album was titled “Let Them Talk”. She says she has since managed to re-unite the Sounds of the Muddy Face that used to work with her husband before his time of death.

The group split when one of the band members, Shame “Chibage” Mashonganyika, backed by Mashakada’s daughters, tried to wrestle the outfit from Mai Mashakada.

“I’m in the studio working on my second album. It will be ready for the market by end of this month. We are also working on videos that will accompany the songs. The Sounds of the Muddy Face has re-united and we are carrying on but minus Chibage,” she said.

Some of the founding members of Muddy Face that are said to have returned and are now working with Mashakada’s widow include Ishmael “Ashumba” Chibhamu, Craig “Gunman” Nhekairo, Washington Mendi and Elia Moffat.

But because of age and other commitments, she said, she would not be holding live shows often. How then does she intend to pay her band members?

“Because of age, it will be difficult for me to be holding a string of shows. I will, however, perform on selected dates while at the same time making sure that the band members are well looked after. Our last show was in Mhondoro sometime in December and the turnout was amazing. I have various avenues to raise funds and those will help me look after the group,” she said.

Eunice expressed dismay over the way Chibage was trying to divide her family. She said, his (Chibage’s) actions were compromising her otherwise already poor health.

She added that it was unfortunate that Chibage had successfully turned her step-daughters against her.

“I’m a high blood pressure and diabetic patient. Government made my life simple by cancelling my husband’s hospital bills and making sure that I also access health care for free. But it is Chibage who is now giving me stress by mobilising my daughters to turn against me.

“He is still bothering me and giving me sleepless nights over the control of the band. I have no problem with Cephas’s children using their father’s name. Where does he, an outsider and mere band member, come in?” said a sobbing Eunice.

Enter Miriam Mashakada.

“Chibage came and asked the Mashakada family for permission to use the name, Sounds of the Muddy Face, for his music and since they all respect me, they asked for my opinion of which I approved,” she said.

As it stands, there are now two active Sounds of the Muddy Face on the market.

And Chibage is leading the other group that has since been renamed The Original Sounds of the Muddy Face. Surprisingly, both parties claim to have the original members of the group that used to work with Cephas.

“Chibage and his team have been responsible since the time dad was still alive. He used to hold shows as the interim leader of the group and was transparent. He would bring home all the money that he would have amassed,” added Miriam.

Instead, Miriam blamed Mai Mashakada for being difficult and refusing to take part in family affairs. She pointed out that on too many times, Eunice has turned down invitations for family gatherings involving Mashakada’s affairs.

Mashakada’s daughter further argued that contrary to what her stepmother is saying, they never got anything meaningful from Mashakada’s estate.

“I’m 27 years old and life has been very difficult for me since dad passed on. I have had to re-locate to South Africa in search of a better life. The journey has been tough, but I will get there. As it stands, I’m 100 percent behind Chibage,” she said.

“What is disturbing though is the fact that Mai Mashakada initiates squabbles then quickly rushes to the media playing victim. And for the record, we never got our dad’s public address system from her like she claims. She only gave us a body of a lorry and goes around claiming that she passed on a Mazda T35 truck. The lorry had long ceased functioning and was beyond repair,” added Miriam.

And Chibage says he will stop at nothing until his outfit gets back to the limelight.

“I am backed by Mashakada’s relatives to run the band. And that’s all I need to keep on fighting.

“We have since decided to rename our group The Original Sounds of the Muddy Face to avoid confusion since Mai Mashakada is also using the same name,” he said.

The album that Chibage and team are working on will comprise of seven tracks, though Miriam indicated that she was likely going to add one or two more of her compositions.

Some of the songs that have already been named include Bag Renhuta, Mwari Baba, Jeremiah and Kutenda.

With the drama unfolding, it remains to be seen how the two parties will manage affairs at Mashakada’s tombstone unveiling slated for later this month since both parties are targeting the platform to officially launch their albums. Sunday Mail