Selmor Mtukudzi, daughter of the legendary Oliver Mtukudzi, opened up about her emotional breakdown while performing at the Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of Arts (OMIFA). This festival, held to honor her late father, marked her first return to the Pakare Paye Arts Centre stage since his passing in 2019.
During her heartfelt performance, Selmor became visibly overwhelmed, expressing the deep personal significance of the moment. “I have always wanted to be on this stage. For seven years I have wanted to be on this stage,” she told the audience, revealing her long-held desire to honor her father’s legacy in the venue he built.
However, amidst her joy, Selmor also voiced her disappointment regarding how her father’s legacy has been managed since his death. “What he wanted is not what is happening today,” she lamented. Her inclusion in the festival came after public outcry over her initial exclusion, which she found particularly painful, feeling disconnected from her father’s legacy.
On stage, she poignantly asked, “Kusvika rinhi muchindirwira? Ndosvika rinhi ndisingakwanise kuita semwana waMtukudzi?” (How long will you accept me? How long until I can truly embody my father’s legacy?). This question highlighted her ongoing struggle for recognition as a part of her father’s artistic heritage.
In an exclusive interview with DJ Ollah 7 on his podcast, Selmor further elaborated on the emotional turmoil she experienced during the performance. She attributed part of her distress to a strained relationship with her stepmother, Daisy Mtukudzi, who she claimed had blocked her from performing at Pakare Paye since her father’s death.
“This was my first time setting foot at Pakare Paye since my father died, and it brought back all the memories we had,” Selmor shared. She expressed her longing for her father’s presence, saying, “Walking onto that stage and people screaming at me, I just wished my dad was still alive.”
Despite extensive preparations for her performance, the emotional weight of the occasion proved overwhelming. “To finally have that moment meant a lot to me. We did everything, we rehearsed, but we were taken back to the day our father died,” she reflected, capturing the bittersweet nature of her return to the stage.
In other news – Disturbing desecration of liberation war heroes graves in Zambia and Mozambique
Recent findings have unveiled a heartbreaking situation concerning the graveyards of liberation war heroes, particularly in Zambia and Mozambique, where sacred sites have fallen victim to encroaching agricultural activities. These distressing details emerged from a report presented by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Security Services, and War Veterans’ Affairs, led by Beitbridge East MP Albert Nguluvhe.
The report was initiated in response to a petition by war veteran Sam Parerenyatwa, highlighting the urgent need for action. The committee’s investigation revealed that many external shrines dedicated to the heroes of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle are in a state of disrepair. Read More
