Mtukudzi: 'I've been dead 5 times'

Mtukudzi: 'I've been dead 5 times'

FULL OF LIFE: Tongai Moyo with Big Brother's Makosi Musambasi during a tour of the UK late December

MANY LIVES: Oliver Mtukudzi

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• Tongai Moyo, Freddie Gwala UK tour off

• Tongai Moyo in yet another car crash

• Zimra goes to war over musicians' royalties

By Torby Chimhashu

OLIVER Mtukudzi is angry with the stress families of musicians are subjected to, a week after Tongai Moyo came out to clear rumours he had died.

While there is nothing strange about death since it is anticipated in everyone’s life, Mtukudzi believes some Zimbabweans seem to revel in sending hoax messages regarding the health and “well-being” of musicians.

Mtukudzi said: “I have been dead five times myself. People have called newspapers and sent e-mails that I had died. This is not a culture of Zimbabweans but it appears there is an evil spirit that has seized some of our own in society.

“That spirit is bad and needs to be exorcised. These stories about ‘so and so has died’ when in actual fact it is not the truth, have serious consequences in our lives as musicians. It is wrong to enjoy being the purveyor of sad but false news.

“I didn't know that people were saying Tongai has died until you asked me. But this goes to show that we have become immoral and disrespectful towards each other."

In one of the most sensational and yet unfounded rumours, Mtukudzi was reported to have been gunned down in South Africa in 2002, forcing the iconic artist to issue a press statement rejecting the claims.

Last week, rumour mill swelled in Harare with news that Moyo had died, forcing the Kwekwe-based singer to come out and scorch the rumours. Moyo recently revealed he had cancer.

Moyo told New Zimbabwe.com: “Some people want me dead. I tell you it’s now for the fourth time. The rumour started in July last year, then August, then November and now January. But that’s the nature of sungura business in Zimbabwe.”

As the rumours spread last weekend, Moyo revealed he was playing social soccer at the time.

Moyo’s supporters believe the rumours are originated by fans and media lackeys of his rival, Alick Macheso.

Macheso himself tackled the rumours on Moyo during his show at Club Lashers in Budiriro One last Friday, telling fans: “We wish Dhewa a speedy recovery.”

Moyo admitted last month that he had a type of cancer known as Non Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL).

Lymphoma, like other cancers, is a disease of the body's cells. Lymphoma cells generally start to grow in lymph nodes or lymph glands. Usually non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) affects groups of lymph nodes in one area of the body.

Cancer researchers say the most common place for it to occur is in the lymph nodes in the neck, the lymph glands under the arms (axilla), in the chest, or in the groin or abdomen. It can also occur in body organs. In some people, NHL can affect the liver, lungs or bone.
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