Chimurenga icon’s Peace Tour suffered huge losses, figures have shown. The Standard reports at the Mutare show, held on December 21, a tot...
Chimurenga icon’s Peace Tour suffered huge losses, figures
have shown. The Standard reports at the Mutare show, held on December 21, a
total of 600 tickets were issued and 442 were sold at a value of $8 924, while
the expenses, which included a sound system supplied by one Nyasha at $5 000,
stood at $9 370, leaving a loss of $446.
At the show held at Club Hideout on New Year’s Eve, only
356 of the 645 issued tickets were sold, and the show realised revenue
totalling $3 065 (bond), US$150 and R500, and does not show the expenses
incurred.
From the Kadoma show, total revenue of $1 935 (bond),
US$893 and R500 was realised and the document does not show the expenses, and
in Bulawayo, less than 200 people attended the show held at Large City Hall.
Mukanya’s manager, Austin Sibanda confirmed that the shows
had not made the anticipated profits.
“We have the documentation that shows there was actually a
loss. We have had a great working relationship with Max Mugaba and I can
confirm that instead, we actually owe him money, not the other way round,”
Sibanda said.
Sibanda said after realising that the shows were not
attracting the needed numbers, largely due to the economic pressures the
country was going through, he suggested that the tour be cancelled, but Mukanya
insisted that the shows had to continue.
Max Mugaba said the returns did not come as anticipated.
“From my side I met all my obligatons. I feel for him as a
muscian who may not understand the management side of events, and I understand
there are people who have surrounded him, and influenced him to sideline his
original band members. I was surprised that at the Glen Lorne house where we
were renting for him, there were now many people going there, with some even
staying there,” Mugaba said.
“I have great respect for Mapfumo, mudhara wedu [he is our
old man]. Remember when he came in April, we did his show and I paid him $55
000 in hard currency, so there is no way I would fleece him, why would I do
that?
“The arrangement was that the shows would pay for
themselves, and it did not happen as expected because of the economic problems
in the country. At one show I had also suggested that they do not continue to
perform, realising it would be a loss, but Mudhara insisted,” said Mugaba.
Mugaba said he was updating Mapfumo’s management all the
way on critical payments that had to be made to service providers.
“Most of payments to service providers were arrangements as
we hoped to pay after proceeds from the show, but it did not happen as such, so
I am in debt, and I am making efforts to pay.”
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