Biography exposes Tuku's alleged moral and ethical shortcomings

Former Oliver Mtukudzi's publicist Shepherd Mutamba says he was not motivated by malice when he penned an explosive book, Tuku's Backstage which was launched in Harare on Saturday.

Mutamba said he was not sorry for penning a biography that exposes Tuku's alleged moral and ethical shortcomings which are against the message that is carried in most of his songs.

The book covers a wide range of issues such as Tuku's personal family life that had never been in the public domain. It also speaks about how he allegedly cheated on his wife, how he ill-treated his children as well as the abuse of his workers who were not paid on time.

The book also covers Tuku's successful music journey from the 1970s and his personal views on politics and how people surrounding him, including Mutamba himself, have let him down.'

"It was not my intention to cause Tuku pain, including the die-hard fans who adore him and want to skin me alive for the explosive moments in the book," Mutamba said during the launch at Book Café.

"The book is responsible because, for a start, it used well-sourced information from Tuku's close family, that is, his own wife and children and his workers and also my own observations as his former publicist and board member," he added.

Mutamba said he was inspired to write the book by the desire to bring to the public domain the double standards that his former boss lived by.

Besides Tuku's shortcomings, the book also covers Tuku's success stories.