Mapfumo family feud deepens as copyright row meets Wicknell Chivayo deal

Mapfumo family feud deepens as copyright row meets Wicknell Chivayo deal

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Veteran Chimurenga musician Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo has become the focus of a widening public debate after his management company issued a cease-and-desist notice against his nephew, Kurai Makore, while Mapfumo separately accepted a lucrative performance arrangement with businessman Wicknell Chivayo.

The cease-and-desist notice, issued by Chimurenga Music Company, states that Makore is “not authorised – and has never been authorised – to perform, record, stream, or commercially exploit” any works from Mapfumo’s catalogue. The notice also rejects claims circulating in the media that Mapfumo has named an heir, stating he “has never designated any heir or successor to his musical legacy – by blood, by decree, or by any other means”.

The move marks a shift from earlier reporting which suggested Makore had been allowed to perform some of Mapfumo’s songs live. In comments published in H-Metro, Chimurenga Music Company manager Cuthbert Chiromo challenged the suggestion that Makore had permission, saying there was no written agreement and describing efforts to portray Makore as a successor as “misrepresentation and lies”.

Sources close to the family have also claimed the dispute is being driven by internal disagreements about control, with allegations circulating that Mapfumo’s daughter, Chiedza, and her mother are influential in decisions around the catalogue. Chiedza Mapfumo has denied this framing, saying the focus is on intellectual property in an era where artists increasingly rely on digital royalties, and that the family went public after other approaches did not resolve the matter.

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The fallout has gained further attention after Chivayo publicly offered large sums for Mapfumo to perform at events linked to musician Jah Prayzah’s wedding and at Chivayo’s birthday celebrations. The deal has been widely discussed online because Mapfumo has long been associated with songs criticising corruption and poor governance, and because Chivayo has been linked in public discussion to high-profile procurement controversies, including the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) tender scandal referenced in leaked audio recordings that have circulated in the country.

Mapfumo’s supporters and critics have debated whether the payments should be viewed as a routine commercial fee or as an arrangement that risks undermining the political and moral message historically associated with his music. In the source material, Mapfumo is said to have defended the decision as payment for professional services rather than a gift.

Meanwhile, the cease-and-desist notice carries implications beyond the family dispute. It warns promoters and venues that any establishment that books Makore and permits performances of Mapfumo’s songs could face legal action, including financial penalties and injunctions. The warning, if enforced, could limit Makore’s ability to perform in Zimbabwe where Mapfumo’s songs remain central to Chimurenga audiences.

Chiromo has also faced separate allegations in the public arena regarding control of Chimurenga Music Company, which he has rejected. In the same reporting, he said he has previously acted to protect Mapfumo’s rights, including involvement in earlier efforts to regain control of the musician’s catalogue.

The dispute is unfolding as Mapfumo, now in his eighties and living in Eugene, Oregon, continues to draw attention both for his cultural influence and for ongoing questions about who controls and benefits from Zimbabwe’s iconic Chimurenga catalogue. For many fans, the immediate issue is no longer only about the sound that defined a political era, but about ownership, licensing, and how a national musical legacy is managed as money and rights become more contested.

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