WHO’S IN CHARGE OF TUKU MUSIK?
…Confusion over Mtukudzi manager position
IS it really the end of the road?
While Sam Mataure and Oliver Mtukudzi share perhaps one of the most envied relationships between artiste and manager in local music circles, their relationship seemed to have hit rock bottom last week when Tuku announced that his long serving manager would no longer be in charge of show bookings.
As arguablly the Zimbabwe’s best music export and a mega star within the country’s borders, Tuku’s announcement sent shockwaves across the world of showbiz as many speculated on what had led to this sudden announcement.
Mataure has been a vital cog in the Tuku Musik juggernaut, becoming a trusted sidekick over the years as both drummer and manager, making sure that the music superstar’s needs are taken care of both on and off.
“Please note that with immediate effect, all booking queries, business queries for Tuku Music should be directed to +263783341700 or email tukumusicinfo@ gmail.com.
“Mr Sam Mataure will no longer be taking bookings for and on behalf of Tuku Music with immediate effect. Thank you for your continued support,” read the post on Tuku’s various social media pages.
After the announcement, the rumour mill went into overdrive, with many questioning why Tuku was suddenly tinkering with his management team.
“Tuku fires manager,” screamed online blogs, as some concluded that Tuku and his lieutenant had renewed the hostilities that saw them part ways for the first time in 2011. Mataure had taken over management of the Black Spirits in 2009 after Tuku had shown the door to veteran music manager Debbie Metcalfe.
According to reports, Tuku had since appointed Ngoma Nehosho founder Walter Wanyanya to fill the position vacated by his erstwhile drummer. However, when Sunday Life contacted him this week, a tongue tied Wanyanya refused to confirm or deny that he had been given the position.
“At this moment I can’t say. I really can’t. Actually you’re the first person to call and seek clarity on this. Everyone else has been writing whatever they want. I was actually out of the country when that announcement was made,” said Wanyanya.
Over the past few months, Wanyanya’s influence within the Tuku camp seems to have grown, with social media posts of the two together littering the 37-yearold artiste manager and promoter’s pages. Due to this, Wanyanya said it was easy for people to assume that he had been appointed the new manager.
“The assumption was that because I’m always around Dr Oliver Mtukudzi then I’m the one that must have taken over but that’s not the case,” he said.
Despite refusing to rule out the possibility that he had in fact taken over managerial reins at Tuku Musik, Wanyanya said that Sam Mataure had not been fired.
“I can’t say much but what I can indeed tell you is that Sam Mataure hasn’t been fired. Someone just took Tuku’s statement and interpreted it as him saying that Sam has been fired. That’s not true. The statement just said that they would be a new team managing his bookings only. If he (Tuku) wanted to say that Sam had been fired he would have said so. If he wanted to say Wanyanya has been appointed he would have said so,” he said.
Mataure’s phone rang unanswered when he was reached for comment.
Wanyanya added that the sudden announcement did not mean there were upheavals within Tuku’s inner circle.
“There is a lot going on so I can’t say much. However, I can tell you that it’s still business as usual for us. If there’s anything more that mudhara wants to say then you’ll hear from him,” he said. .
Despite the confusion, many will no doubt be wondering who the man being touted as the candidate for managing one of Africa’s music titans actually is. Wanyanya is the founder of music development and promotion company, Ngoma Nehosho.
While taking over as Tuku’s manager would be his biggest gig thus far, he is already a proven hand in artiste management, as artistes like Prayersoul and Bryan K have benefited from his business savvy connections.
Although he seems to have settled into a role in the background, like Mataure, Wanyanya is an artiste. If he were to take over, the Tuku Musik management button would have been passed from drummer to bassist, as Wanyanya started playing bass guitar at the age of 15 at the Celebration Church in Harare.
However, it is in business where he has flexed his muscles the most. Wanyanya is the founder and managing director of TechTools, a company that deals in Apple products.
In 2007, the company he first worked for prior to founding his own asked him to help start up another accredited Apple reseller in Zambia, a task he executed with aplomb. He set up Zambia’s first and only Apple retailer, a company that is still operational to this day. He is also a board member and director for a holdings concern that includes a farm, a lodge, casino and game farm.
In 2012 he teamed up with two brothers who are animation and advertising experts to start up another business called Livecast Media that specialises in outdoor digital billboards and content creation.