The Sunday Mail
It is trite to mention that every man makes a mistake. It is in our nature — in the stars — and we are even more fallible when we have fame and fortune. Sungura king — yes he still is — Alick Macheso’s mistake, or let’s say his gravest to date, was marrying Tafadzwa who is said to be given to finer things in life and cavorting in the carnal and hedonistic side of life.
She showed it from the very outset by engaging in shopping sprees, much to the chagrin of his band members, and convincing Macheso to leave Chitungwiza suburb, he had vowed he would never vacate the dormitory town.
From the look of it, Macheso was infatuated to Tafadzwa and like a misguided teen even composed a song about her, which we also understand he has done before, delivering Shedia, Sarah, Monalisa, Petuniah, and so forth.
And against better judgment, Macheso decided to marry Tafadzwa and in the most controversial manner, too, as he had another wife, Nyadzisai.
(We have not heard of Nyadzisai in any song yet, or have we?)
In four short years, the situation has come back to haunt the musician and the mudslinging, the skulduggery and all the dirty linen only confirm that which would ultimately come.
This week Macheso was hauled before the courts over maintenance with Tafadzwa claiming some US$7 000.
Some may point out that Macheso deserves it.
Yes, he does.
They say he should have seen it coming.
Yes, he should.
Yet Macheso is bound to come out the winner in this fiasco, which, cognate with the above expose of man’s fallibility, must define him.
Macheso is a winner in at least four ways.
From a numerical perspective, the Harare magistrate gave Macheso a reason to sigh with relief by not granting the US$7 130, which was not only extortionate but also seemed to confirm that Tafadzwa is a gold digger as we had always suspected.
Here is the breakdown:
$1 500 for groceries.
$300 for the maid.
$300 for the gardener.
$600 clothing allowance.
$300 in fuel allowance.
$450 monthly for a driver.
$600 in vehicle allowance and servicing.
$750 for medication of her family.
$550 for extra-curricular activities.
$200 telephone allowance
$1 100 per month rent, water and electricity bills.
$400 monthly for hair and beauty therapy.
It will be in order to pick out some interesting bits on the above.
Just what are “extra-curricular” — we thought that has to do with schools colleges and universities — for which Tafadzwa demanded US$550?
What class of maid is paid US$300 — a whole, and more, civil service pay?
A presidential maid?
And a presidential gardener, too, to earn a similar amount?
We are not too sure what kind of food Tafadzwa and her two toddlers would devour – yes – that would cost US$1 500 when an average family of six requires a basket half of slightly under that.
So the reasonable magistrate shot down the speculative and extortionate amount, thankfully, as, say, a mid-range $3 000 would have meant real trouble for Macheso.
It can be safely assumed that Macheso can easily raise the court-stated US$1 030 amount.
The beauty about the situation is that there is a proviso for Macheso to vary the amount downwards if he procedurally divorces Tafadzwa, to whom he is still customarily married to, and dispense with the “spousal support” aspect.
Which he should do.
It won’t cost much — a one rand coin could do the trick.
And come to think of it, Tafadzwa may have also lost out significantly because the lawyers she engaged may have pegged their fees on the basis of a $7k outcome — at least as once-off.
Without impugning Tafadzwa’s legal team, lawyers can smell money, just as sharks smell blood and switch on to feeding frenzy mode.
Tafadzwa and Co will likely be unhappy with how it panned out.
Who cares?
Secondly, Macheso has the morality and the moral support and sympathy that Tafadzwa is not enjoying at the moment.
Macheso is fallible — just like all of us.
No one, however, will hold that against him — a man of weakness — forever. (Ask Morgan Tsvangirai’s supporters and they will not much care about his sexcapades in the high seas even if he is supposed to be a national leader who should know better to keep his zip closed!)
Many people have outgrown their indignation towards Macheso for what he did to Nyadzisai.
The public sympathy is a psychological boost for the star and boot for Tafadzwa as people have always taken her to be, perhaps unsympathetically, anyway.
Thirdly, and related to the above, the controversy and setback that Macheso has recorded in this imbroglio can actually give Macheso fresh impetus in his career.
Controversies always do, everywhere in the showbiz, which is why Jay Z or even Solange Knowles can reap large from the current hullabaloo of an alleged fracas.
Macheso has not given us anything fresh for a couple of years now and his last offering was largely anonymous.
Ironically, the last good offering was Zvinoda Kutendwa which featured the song Tafadzwa as the hit.
The present mess might tend to unleash creativity in Macheso, just like kicks in the backside are a step forward.
After all, sorrow saddens the face but sharpens the mind.
It can be hoped it goes the same for Macheso.
Something good from Macheso is what everyone is expecting especially at a time there has been a dearth of creativity on the mainstream contemporary music scene.
The result is that the space has been occupied by some upstarts who really do not have anything to offer but are taking advantage of the hiatus of real music. That is how low the music industry has sunk. Just how hungry it is.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Macheso will henceforth know what kind of people to jump into bed with.
Certainly not the carnal ones, if accounts of Tafadzwa’s past are anything to go by. Macheso has a chance to redeem himself. He is no saint.
