'Macheso marriage was a mistake,' says Tafadzwa

Sungura musician Alick Macheso's former wife Fortunate 'Tafadzwa' Mapako said being married to the musician as a second wife was a mistake in her life. She said even her own family was against the union.

"Being married to him as a second wife was a mistake. My family was never interested in the polygamous relationship. If you check, my family never spoke a word over our separation," she said.

Yesterday it was a double celebration for Tafadzwa on Thursday as she turned a year older on the day she received paternity test results.

The results which were released on Wednesday confirmed that the two kids were fathered by Macheso.

Fortunate said she feels relieved following several accusations, which were leveled against her.

"It is painful that you are labeled a woman of loose morals to the whole nation. I feel happy and at the same time relieved following the outcome of the results," she said.

The tests arose after the musician doubted paternity of the two children Alick Junior and Maneesha whom they sired during their four year union.

Tafadzwa said the fallout with Macheso followed her refusal to have the sungura musician perform his cultural practice of ‘Kutara' on their daughter.

"I do not usually want to speak about that issue of ‘kutara' I would leave it to the law enforcers to react.

"That is the main issue that led to the collapse of our marriage. I opposed to the practice on our daughter. As a mother I have a right to protect my children. Mwanamusikana hauzive kwazvinozosvika," she said.

She said she told the musician that she would report him to the police if he insisted on the practice and to cover up, the musician rushed to his lawyers.

"I told him that I was going to report to the police and that is when all the problems started."

Tafadzwa said she has moved on with her life but will not jump into any love affair anytime soon.

There were reports that she has since moved on with another man in Msasa Park, a claim she scoffed.

"I have since moved on with my life alone, without Macheso but I will not have a man in my life anytime soon. I'm not in a relationship with anyone and will not be in any in the near future. I respect my children. Daily, Alick Junior sees an advert of Nash Paints and points at him as his father, so having another man and introducing him to him will not be easy," she said.

"I'm staying in Msasa Park with my family and you are free to visit not that I have another man," she said.

H-Metro visited her Msasa Park home where her family was, with Alick Junior saying to her "Makorokoto mhama".

Asked why she left her Mainway Meadows house she had been letting, Tafadzwa said, the decision was meant to minimise stigmatising her children.

She said the paternity tests will affect the children in future.

"The children are not going to crèche because of that. Even my daughter who was reported to be in Form 5 has since stopped going to school because of that," she said.

Tafadzwa said being married to the musician as a second wife was a mistake in her life. She said even her own family was against the union.

"Being married to him as a second wife was a mistake. My family was never interested in the polygamous relationship. If you check, my family never spoke a word over our separation," she said.

She said she has since forgiven the musician but ruled out any prospects of a reunion.

"I have since forgiven him over his doubts on me. However, despite having children together, we will not get back together," she said.

Speaking on her relationship with Macheso, Tafadzwa said she enjoyed her four-year union so much that she wonders if he is the one who went around badmouthing her.

She said the ‘kutara' issue was the only problem that led to the collapse of their marriage.

"I enjoyed my marriage to Macheso. Everything was well between us. We differed on the issue of Kutara. He began showing me actions which I did not understand; ignoring me and the next thing was a letter from his lawyer.

"Initially I saw a newspaper article that I had been divorced and I went to his house to inquire what was happening and the next thing, the lawyer was writing to me," she said.

"Macheso is a very quiet person and sometimes I wonder if all those words really came out of his mouth," she said.

Commenting on her relationship with Macheso's senior wife, Nyadzisai, Tafadzwa said everything was well between them.

"I think everything was well between us. We would share a lot and she is the one who would help me when I gave birth. Vana vaitoenda kumba kwake. I believe it was a genuine relationship, I do not know how she took it," she said.

On Sharon Macheso, Tafadzwa said, "I understand her situation, munhu akaunzirwa mainini akura, so it will be hard for her to adjust and see me as a mother," she said.

"I do not think I will be able to attend the wedding. I can't," she said.

Tafadzwa distanced herself from the alleged threats she was said to have made to the musician.

She also denied any links to the First family or ever blackmailing the musician.

She further denied ever been in the affairs of Macheso's Orchestra Mberikwazvo.

Fortunate's lawyer Gift Nyandoro of Hamunakwadi, Nyandoro and Nyambuya Law Chambers said:

"A lot of things have been said about our client. She has been portrayed to the whole country in bad light and currently we are waiting to get full instructions from our client to act legally.

"We cannot allow the Devil to run away with a Christian Bible from a Christian pulpit. We are going to act," he said.