BULAWAYO-BASED musician Majahawodwa Ndlovu popularly known as Jeys Marabani, has become the latest public figure rumoured to have died.
Rumours were circulating Thursday, mostly on social networks that the musician had passed away.
The rumours, whose source could not be immediately confirmed are said to have started in Harare.
In a brief interview Marabini laughed off the rumours.
“It is shocking that people would spread such a rumour that I have passed on. I am alive and well and I’m actually in Montrose as I speak to you. Maybe this is a sign that I will live a long life,” Marabini quipped.
He went on to suggest that the rumour might have emanated from people who hate him and wish to see his demise.
This is not the first time that death rumours have spread like wildfire in Zimbabwe.
President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power for more than three decades, had become an easy target of such rumours.
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The nonagenarian has often taken these rumours on his stride, jokingly suggesting that he has died more times than Jesus Christ.
“I have died many times — that’s where I have beaten Christ. Christ died once and resurrected once,” Mugabe was quoted while making a speech on his 88th birthday celebrations.
Jeys Marabini has had a recent run in with the media after missing out on bagging the outstanding male musician award at the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) held in Bulawayo in February.
The award was won by Harare-based musician, Jah Prayzah.
After losing the award, the enraged jazz artiste took to Facebook to vent his frustrations at missing out on the highest arts honour for male musicians in the country.
“Ladies and gentlemen I hope I find you well, thanks for all the support that you have been giving me from the time I started my music career up to this day,” Marabini posted in a February 24 status.
“In the past week I have been attacked by journalists from the northern part of Zimbabwe, it seems being a nominee in the 13th Nama for the outstanding musician category did not go down well with these journalists.
“It is to my surprise that I find myself being attacked by them.
“The question is what crime did I commit by being nominated into the Nama? Is it a crime to come from Matabeleland region?”
This was in response to opinion pieces penned by arts journalists based in Harare suggesting that Marabini did not deserve to be nominated for the award.
— Online
