Mibawa Band fires JJ, Eunice
Trouble is brewing at one of Blantyre’s most popular entertainment spots Mibawa Café after they fired two of their star attractions from the band.
The two sensational vocalists, John Kutsokwe Jnr, popularly known as JJ, and Eunice Kadzuwa Mhango are the main crowd pullers in the band that has evolved to become the best live band in the country and has made Mibawa Café the place to go for revellers.
The two were apparently released alongside three other members last week in what proprietor John Nthakomwa described as reorganisation.
According to Nthakomwa, effective this month, Mibawa Band has combined band 1 and 2 to create a new musical group.
In the same vein, the band has fired three key members especially of what used to be the main band, including Kadzuwa Mhango and JJ, over discipline matters, according to the owner.
“We have combined the two bands and fired the other members due to disciplinary issues related to attitude towards our customers, towards each other and alcohol abuse. Customers in Blantyre and Lilongwe complained about attitude issues that I have tried to address for over a year with band 1.
“I created a team, gave them a career but also set rules of the game that would help them in their professional and personal lives. I have tried to help each one of them individually to work on their weaknesses for the past two years, it has personally taken a lot out of me, I have reached a conclusion that for some of them, I have failed. They are talented, but do not have the character to continue being part of my team. I wish them well, I am sure they will have other great opportunities out there,” said Nthakomwa.
On his part, JJ confirmed his dismissal.
He said he was not told why he was being fired but he was just called in a meeting with all members in both bands and told to cease regarding himself as a Mibawa Band member.
“I have worked for close to two years and have proved myself only to be fired just because of a single complaint I raised on the welfare of other band members on how they were unfairly treated on the way back home from Lilongwe,” he said.
Said the artist: “On our way back home from Lilongwe, band members who live around Chirimba were ordered to drop by Chirimba round-about. But because it was late at night, I intervened and told the boss that it is not fair as there was a possibility that something bad could have happened to these guys. It is after I said this when a meeting was called informing some of us that spoke on this issue that we had we had been fired. “
Efforts to talk to Kadzuwa Mhango on Wednesday proved futile as she is expectant and was going into labour.
According to Nthakomwa, there will now be a new team at Mibawa.
“We have chosen the new team from the two bands to create one Mibawa band. Lead vocalists are those who were in band 2. I can assure our customers that Mibawa performances will be better and greater than before,” said Nthakomwa.
But with JJ and Kadzuwa Mhango out, this will be a major setback on Mibawa’s debut album with was due before year end.
“This has set us back on the launching of our album as JJ was the lead vocalist on the album but we can assure our customers we are working on strategies that will ensure we have everything back on track,” Nthakomwa explained. — (With additional reporting by Orama Chinamulungu
