The story of how Alick Macheso and Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria went their separate ways has always carried an air of mystery, and now, conflicting versions have resurfaced.
According to legendary music producer Bothwell Nyamhondera, Madzibaba abruptly quit the music scene to become a truck driver a move that left Macheso stranded.
Nyamhondera reveals that Madzibaba even went as far as locking up the band’s instruments, forcing Macheso to show up daily in a desperate attempt to access them.
His persistence seemed futile until, as Nyamhondera recalls, “a woman told Macheso he was wasting his time.”
But Madzibaba offers a more polished narrative.
He insists he only ventured into trucking as a means to import instruments for the band, downplaying any talk of acrimony or sabotage.
Yet, music insiders lean toward Nyamhondera’s version, citing his reputation for accuracy and the vivid detail of his recollections.
Whichever version one chooses to believe, one fact is clear, the split became a turning point in Zimbabwean sungura history, birthing Macheso’s rise as a solo force while leaving Madzibaba to chart his own path.
