The Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of the Arts, a celebration of the life and legacy of the legendary Zimbabwean musician, was marred by a heartbreaking incident on its opening night, H-Metro has reported.
Selmor Mtukudzi, daughter of the late Oliver Mtukudzi, broke down on stage during her performance, accusing her stepmother, Daisy, of treating her as an outcast within the family.
Selmor, who was initially excluded from the festival’s line-up before a public outcry forced organisers to include her, was scheduled to be the star performer on the opening day. This was her first appearance at Pakare Paye Arts Centre, her father’s iconic venue, since his passing in 2019.
“I have always wanted to perform on this stage for many years, but ndichirambidzwa,” Selmor told the heartbroken audience with her voice trembling with emotion.
“Dai pasina imi makandirwira kuti nditsike pano ndingadai ndisati nanhasi. Hameno kana vakafa vachinzwa asi mudhara wangu vakashanda vakativakira nzvimbo yakanaka kudai, asi zvavaida hazvizirizvo zvirikuitika nhasi, hazvisi,” she continued as her words echoed the pain of being denied a place in her father’s legacy.
She then addressed the audience directly with a heavy voice that was laced with frustration and hurt: “Tosvika rinhiko muchindirwira nhai hama dzangu, ndosvika rinhi ndichibatwa senge ndisiri mwana wepanapa?”
The emotional weight of the situation became too much for Selmor. She dropped the microphone and, despite pleas from fans to continue her performance, she walked off the stage, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.
Selmor’s performance was a poignant rendition of her father’s iconic song “Changu Chii?” She only managed to sing three verses, accompanied by Tuku’s trusted lieutenant Picky Kasamba and her sister Sandra, before breaking down.
“Changu chiiko nhai Mwari? Changu chii ko? Chitema here kuve mukadzi? Changu chii ko?” she sang while sobbing.
“It’s hard to live knowing you’re being treated as an outcast in your father’s house,” Selmor said after leaving the stage.
“I tried so many times to hold this back, but I can’t let it continue like this. I was only at the festival because Uncle Josh (promoter Josh Hozheri) asked me to, but my emotions came back at me. This is wrong. This is not how you treat your stepchildren, tese tiri vanhu.”
The incident has sparked widespread discussion about the complex dynamics within the Mtukudzi family. Selmor and Sandra are Tuku’s daughters from his first marriage, and the legendary musician left most of his assets to his widow Daisy, including cars, music rights, and Pakare Paye Arts Centre.
While Daisy has allowed Selmor to continue performing her father’s songs, the strained relationship between the two has been a source of public speculation for years. In a previous interview, Daisy accused Selmor of being naive, difficult to work with, and unresponsive to event organisers.
Selmor, however, has established herself as a successful artist with a dedicated fan base. Her emotional outburst at the festival has brought to light the painful reality of her situation, highlighting the complexities of family dynamics and the struggle to find a place within a legacy that is both cherished and contested.
The Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of the Arts, while a celebration of Tuku’s life and music, has been overshadowed by this heartbreaking incident.
The festival, which was scheduled to run for two days, has been met with mixed reactions from fans, some of whom felt that Selmor should have been slotted into the closing night line-up alongside other prominent artists like Jah Prayzah and Feli Nandi.
