Slomo for Macheso UK tour

It looks like the beef between sungura maestro Alick Macheso and the supremely talented dancer, Franco "Slomo" Dhaka, won't die down any time soon.

At the end of this month, Macheso is set to embark on a tour of South Africa and in July he will fly to the UK for a series of shows. These shows outside the borders have ignited accusations and counter accusations between the boss and his former employee.  

Macheso maintains that Slomo is history according to his plans and on the other hand, the dancer insists that his former boss is still trying to lure him back to his Orchestra Mberikwazvo.

Speaking about the tour, Macheso said Slomo had proposed to rejoin the band for the tour.

"This country is full of talented people. There is no need for me to hold on to the past. When a band member departs, other equally talented people seize the opportunity, in actual fact we discover new geniuses. Slomo is trying to get back onto Mberikwazvo's payroll through my friends. He is pushing them day and night to sweet talk me," he said.

The musician made it clear that it was going to be impossible for him to take back the Chitungwiza-based dancer.

"The young man said nasty things about me to anyone who cared to listen. He made remarks you cannot even print in your respectable family paper. He declared that I was going to fall because of his departure and I'm waiting for the day. His case is different from that of Noel (Nyazanda). The young man became personal with me. I will not re-admit him into my group, at least not in my lifetime," fumed Macheso.

Added Cheso: "Besides, he is trying to seek relevance by continuously dragging my name into these unfounded issues. It is true that we are not going to travel with some of our band members, but his (Slomo's) name has never been suggested as an option. We have enough troops for the tour."

However, the exuberant dancer (Slomo) maintained his position that he was a hot product in demand and that he was continuously being lured by his former boss who wants him back.

"Macheso is still interested in my services, but I have since moved on and cannot go back. I have a running contract with Sulu (Suluman Chimbetu) and I have to honour it," said Slomo.

Macheso is expected to perform in Pretoria and Johannesburg in South Africa at the end of this month. He will then later on in July tour the UK. But some of his band members that include one of his dancers, Kagomera, and guitarist Divine Muzenda will likely miss the tour since they do not have travelling documents. The group's manager, William Tsandukwa, has already assisted other band members to get passports ahead of the tour.