Leonard Dembo’s widow cries foul, claims record label swindled her

HARARE – Eunice Dembo, the wife of the late great Zimbabwean musician Leonard Dembo has said that she feels abandoned by the music community as she languishes in poverty despite her husband’s legendary status.

Dembo, who died in 1996, was one of Zimbabwe’s most successful musicians, with his song Chitekete reputed to have sold 100,000 copies after its release. The song was also played at the prestigious Miss World contest in 1994.

Despite the success of her husband, Eunice, who is now wheelchair-bound, said she had been struggling to make ends meet with no one seemingly coming to her rescue.

“It’s worse now because I am on a wheelchair and it appears no one wants to accept me as their late legend’s widow,” she told H-Metro.

“I am even struggling to go for simple things like medical check-ups even though I have many health challenges which are troubling my body, I am now idle, just stranded on my wheelchair.

“This is my only form of transport to move me around and it’s mainly from the bedroom to the toilet. I cannot push myself to the hospital weekly.”

Eunice claimed that Dembo’s record label, Gramma Records, had never remitted any royalties to her since his death.

“My husband died 29 years ago and we no longer have even a single car. My medical bills are unbearable. I have a lot to tell this world about Dembo but I will never say it until they reciprocally acknowledge Dembo’s legacy.

“Handizvitaure zvamusati makambonzwa zviri pasi pasi pemoyo wangu. Imagine, even Dembo’s recording company is just quiet about his musical royalties since his death,” she said.

Eunice, who claimed that the house that her husband had left her had accrued $5000 in arrears over the last few years, gave a nod to the Zimbabwe Community Trailblazers, who awarded her late husband a posthumous award last week.

The late musician’s sons, Morgan and Tendai, accepted the award on behalf of their late father.

“So far, handina chiri kundifadza pazvose, kunze kwezvandaitirwawo nhasi izvi ve Zimbabwe Community Trailblazers Award, vatondigonera. I am, at least, delighted by this award won by my beloved late husband, Leonard.

“This world, its people and its corporate sector, I honestly believe that they know that my husband and his Barura Express band members were major stars and they deserve all these awards.

“As a family we are happy with this Zimbabwe Community Trailblazers award.”