Selmor Mtukudzi, daughter of the late music icon Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, finds herself grappling with depression amidst a raging family feud.
The conflict, which came to a head at the inaugural Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of the Arts (OMIFA), has left Selmor deeply disheartened, particularly by the feeling of letting down her loyal supporters.
Selmor’s emotional outburst on stage at OMIFA, held at Pakare Paye in Norton, prevented her from performing and cast a pall over the event. This unexpected breakdown was a direct consequence of the simmering family tensions.
This failure to perform, while seemingly unpopular, provided an opening for Daisy Mtukudzi, Tuku’s widow and Selmor’s stepmother, to launch a counter-offensive.
“At least the world has witnessed all the drama. I know people will still attack me, but what have I done to deserve this embarrassment?” Daisy remarked in an interview with a local newspaper, The Herald.
She further emphasized that the festival was about celebrating Tuku’s legacy, not about individual personalities.
“. . . the event was all about celebrating Tuku’s legacy and life well-lived. It was not about Daisy or whoever, because we were commemorating an icon here,” she added.
In a candid interview with The Sunday Mail Entertainment, Selmor expressed remorse for her actions, admitting she should have managed her emotions better.
She assured fans that her team is working on making amends, though it won’t be the same as performing at Pakare Paye.
“I am still figuring out how to make it up to my fans who expected me to perform. My team is working on something and will share details soon. Of course, it will not be the same as it would have been at Pakare Paye, but it is my way of apologising,” she explained.
She acknowledged the difficulty in articulating her emotions but promised not to repeat the incident.
“It is difficult for me to describe the exact emotions I felt that day but I promise I will not repeat the same again.”
Selmor revealed the depth of her emotional turmoil, sharing details of the events leading up to her breakdown. She described the meticulous preparations she had made for the performance, including rehearsing with her band and having a new outfit designed, inspired by her father’s stage attire.
The opportunity to perform at Pakare Paye held special significance for her, as she had repeatedly been denied permission by Daisy in the past.
“I was finally ready to take the stage at Pakare Paye. I had spent years asking my mother (Daisy) for permission to perform, but she always refused. So, finally getting this opportunity touched my heart deeply. The entire day was truly moving,” Selmor revealed.
However, the day was marred by a series of unsettling incidents. Selmor and her band faced harassment upon arrival, struggling to gain entry without accreditation tags. They were only allowed inside moments before their scheduled performance.
Inside, they were met with further disregard, receiving no guidance or assistance. Adding to the distress, Selmor discovered that her pictures and artefacts, previously displayed at Pakare Paye by her father, had been removed.
“As I walked through the hallway, I noticed some striking changes. My pictures that mdhara (Tuku) had taken from Jazz 105 and framed had been removed from the wall, specifically his office door. Some of my artifacts that used to be in the Sam Mtukudzi Hall were also gone.
“Everything related to me that mdhara had placed at Pakare Paye had been removed; I do not know when. This clearly showed me that they were trying to erase me. According to them, I should not exist and they do not want me associated with the Tuku family in any way,” she lamented.
It is unfortunate that some, like former Norton Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa, criticize Sandra and Selmor for sharing their story with DJ Ollah 7. They seem to overlook the fact that the sisters actually withheld many of the upsetting details that led to their emotional breakdown at Pakare Paya. Likely, they reserved these details out of respect for their stepmother, sparing her further embarrassment. This respect is evident in how Sandra and Selmor still treat her, consistently referring to her as “mhamha” (mother).
Selmor’s experience at OMIFA was the culmination of years of strained family relations. She recounted how Daisy had consistently prevented her from performing at Pakare Paye, citing various excuses, including Covid-19 concerns, even when other artists were allowed to perform.
“My mother has always prevented us from performing at Pakare Paye or participating in anything related to my father. I do not understand why. A few years ago, she claimed to be afraid of Covid-19, even though other artistes were performing there. Other times, when we asked for permission, she simply said no.”
The exclusion extended beyond Selmor. Her sister Sandra, Aaron Chaka (a man claiming to be Tuku’s son), and Sybil (another of Tuku’s daughters) were also not invited to the festival.
Aaron’s distress over the incident was palpable, making him reluctant to speak publicly about it. His previous attempt to legally change his surname to Mtukudzi had been rejected by the High Court, pending a paternity test.
In a subsequent podcast interview with DJ Ollah 7 following the OMIFA incidence and Daisy’s interview with the Herald, Selmor and Sandra revealed to the former Star FM presenter further details about their difficult upbringing under Daisy’s care.
Sandra echoed Selmor’s sentiments, pointing to Daisy as the main obstacle to family unity. She recalled Tuku’s final wish for his daughters to unite and plan family events together, a wish seemingly disregarded by Daisy. Sandra highlighted an event in Madziva attended by Daisy, Samantha (another of Tuku’s daughters), and Faith (Daisy’s daughter), from which she and other family members were excluded.
“The exclusion is not only about Selmor, but all of Tuku’s daughters and family members,” Sandra clarified.
These revelations add another layer of complexity to the ongoing family feud, highlighting the deep-seated resentment and hurt that continues to plague the Mtukudzi family. The public display of discord threatens to tarnish the legacy of Oliver Mtukudzi, a national icon.
The family’s ability to reconcile and honour his memory remains uncertain. Repeated attempts by the news crew to contact Daisy for comment during and after the festival were unsuccessful.
However, in a separate interview with The Herald, Daisy claimed to be a victim of cyberbullying, portraying herself as a wrongly accused stepmother. She maintained that she did her best to accommodate everyone at the festival and left it to the world to judge.
The underlying issues within the Mtukudzi family are multifaceted, involving disagreements over inheritance, the management of Tuku’s estate, and the direction of his musical legacy.
Selmor and Sandra, in their interview with The Sunday Mail, expressed their desire for family unity and the fulfilment of their father’s final wishes. They emphasized the importance of coming together as sisters to preserve his legacy. Sandra also expressed hope that Daisy would agree to an open discussion to address the family’s issues.
This ongoing saga leaves fans and followers of Tuku’s music hoping for a resolution. The future of the Mtukudzi musical legacy may hinge on the family’s ability to find common ground and heal their divisions.
