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Alick Macheso – Picture by Takawira Dapi

Tawanda Marwizi and Lovemore Meya Arts Correspondent
Embattled sungura musician Alick Macheso, who is fighting to keep his family intact, has shut doors on his former guitarists Noel Nyazanda and Jonasi Kasamba, it has emerged.
The two together with drummer Obert Gomba deserted Macheso to form a breakaway group, Extra Kwazvose, in 2013 after a salary dispute.

Nyazanda and Kasamba reportedly approached Macheso management with hopes of reinstatement last week after the split of their new group.

On Sunday Kasamba went to Borrowdale Race Course and joined his former paymaster on stage.

William Tsandukwa, who is Macheso’s manager, said there were no vacancies in the band.

“I just heard that they want to come back but have you come across an advert that Macheso needs workers? I have enough staff for the band,” said Tsandukwa.

He said bringing them back would disrupt operations in addition to negative financial implications.

“Since they left us we have our guys who have been loyal to us so it will be unfair for us to take them back. We are also struggling like any other band so there is no need for us to employ them,” he said.

Kasamba would neither deny nor confirm that the duo wanted to go back, saying that no firm decisions had been taken as yet.

“Yes I have been frequenting Macheso’s shows for other reasons but I will make the final decision today after meeting with Obert and Noel,” he said.

Sources close to the musician said Macheso was reluctant to take the former band members back because he still felt betrayed by the manner they exited.

“It will take time for Macheso to accept these guys because they made reckless statements when they deserted the group,” the source alleged.

The source also said fears are that they would influence other band members to leave the group again.

Recently, the group accused their former boss of using money to divide and rule in the band.