Tongai Moyo's polygamy lyrics amended after wife commits suicide

Tongai "Dhewa" Moyo has amended a song that justifies polygamy, which was supposed to be on his latest album Toita Basa, apparently due to criticism.

Some months ago, Standard Life&Style strongly criticised Dhewa when he performed the song at a show three weeks after the death of his first wife Barbara Muchengeti.

Muchengeti committed suicide and the matter was linked to issues arising from Dhewa's polygamy, which made the performance of the song after her death morally deplorable.

Dhewa composed the song well before his wife killed herself and he seemed to initially overlook the coincidental implications of its lyrics after her death.

Loosely translated, some of the original lines of the song went like: "I understand what most of you want. . . one husband and one wife. . . but women are more than men on earth. . . so who wants to remain single?"

But the musician seems to have realised that Standard Life&Style's criticism was constructive and has dropped the lines.

Dhewa amended the lines that celebrated polygamy and brought in a version that focuses on resolving domestic disputes peacefully.

Now the message on the amended lines is: "My wife let us keep our domestic conflicts under our roof because people will laugh at us if they know about it."

Dhewa's manager Pliers Puraene said he could not comment on the issue of lyrics referring all questions to Dhewa.

But Dhewa could not be reached for comment as he was said to be unwell for the better part of last week.

His wife was answering calls to the musician's phone saying he could not speak on the phone because he was not feeling well and needed to rest.

"Dhewa cannot speak on the phone, he is asleep. May you leave a message," was all she could say.

The musician's health has been deteriorating since he was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.