The ownership and control of Thomas Mapfumo’s music rights are mired in competing claims and allegations, with manager Cuthbert Chiromo asserting that he personally secured those rights for Mapfumo in 1998—making the Chimurenga icon one of the first local musicians to be freed from recording companies—while simultaneously facing accusations that he has since secretly acquired majority shares in the Chimurenga Music Company to position himself for total future control, a charge he denies; Chiromo also claims to have ceded his own percentage of those rights to Mapfumo’s family so that the musician could benefit directly, yet it is his management company that issued the cease-and-desist letter barring nephew Kurai Makore from performing Mapfumo’s songs, indicating that the Chimurenga Music Company currently holds or enforces the rights in practice, even as Mapfumo’s daughter Chiedza maintains that the family’s primary concern is protecting her father’s intellectual property and licensing in the digital era.
Ownership of Thomas Mapfumo’s Music Rights:
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Cuthbert Chiromo’s Claim: Chiromo states that he personally fought for and secured Mapfumo’s music rights in 1998, making Mapfumo one of the first local musicians to be freed from recording companies.
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Ceding Rights: Chiromo claims he ceded his own percentage of those rights to Mapfumo’s family so that Mapfumo could benefit directly from his works.
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Allegations of Secret Control: There are allegations that Chiromo has secretly acquired majority shares in the Chimurenga Music Company, positioning himself to have total control over Mapfumo’s music empire in the future. Chiromo denies this.
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Current Management: The Chimurenga Music Company, managed by Cuthbert Chiromo, is the entity that issued the cease and desist letter, indicating it currently holds or enforces the rights.
Key Parties Involved:
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Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo: The legendary Chimurenga musician whose intellectual property and music catalogue are at the center of the dispute. He is 81 years old.
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Chiedza Mapfumo: Thomas Mapfumo’s daughter. She speaks on behalf of the family, stating that Mapfumo repeatedly told Kurai Makore to compose his own music. She emphasizes the importance of Mapfumo’s intellectual property and licensing.
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Kurai Makore: Thomas Mapfumo’s nephew, who has been performing his uncle’s songs and was publicly endorsed by Mapfumo in the past. He is now barred from performing these songs and is accused by Chiromo of being a “cheat” and “copyright robber.”
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Cuthbert Chiromo: Manager of the Chimurenga Music Company. He is the one who issued the cease and desist letter against Makore and has publicly defended his actions, claiming he secured the rights for Mapfumo in 1998.
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Mrs. Mapfumo (Thomas’s wife): Mentioned by a source as playing a leading role in the fallout, with claims that Mapfumo follows what his wife and daughter tell him.
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Wicknell Chivayo: A businessman who recently paid Mapfumo US$1 million to perform. (Mentioned in the context of Mapfumo’s current activities but not directly involved in the rights ownership dispute).
