When men become wealthy or famous they change most of their living habits including friends, associates, and dressing.
Interestingly such men also change wives and if not they marry more women.
Musicians have also been caught in this marriage web and Zimbabweans have witnessed marriages going bust once the men get rich and famous.
Several reasons have been given with some stating that their non–celebrity partners were failing to handle their fame while others leave just to have someone to match the fame and keep up appearances glittering.
There are others though who have stuck to their initial partners; until death do us apart!
From the late Oliver Mtukudzi, Tongai Moyo, Andy Brown and Cde Chinx among others that include Alick Macheso had to settle for a second marriage.
Even the new generation of singers have followed sooth, from Suluman Chimbetu, Jah Prayzah, Soul Jah Love, Enzo Ishall and Anddy Muridzo.
Just recently dancehall chanter Enzo Ishall dumped his wife for allegedly being abusive to him. He said she is failing to handle his fame and has heightened the abuse towards him and he is left with no option but to leave her and move in with his father.
While the late Chiwoniso Maraire was known as Brown’s wife in the singer’s last years, Andy had been married before to Nadine Stordat and Fidela Fazilahmed.
When he died his surviving widows Maraire (who was still alive at the time) and Nadine Stordat each fought to be recognised as his surviving spouse.
Dickson Chingaira aka Cde Chinx was a polygamist and married his first wife Patricia Makoni before marrying the second Ntombizodwa years later. “I met my husband in 1976 in Mozambique and we fell in love instantly,” said Patricia.
Former First Lady Grace Mugabe may have stoked a family conflict after she handed over Cde Chinx’s new house to the singer’s first wife Patricia in Sentosa’s Malbereign low density suburb. At the time Cde Chinx was still alive.
Officially handing over the new house which was built as a tribute to Cde Chinx by the Zimbabwe Music Awards (ZIMA), the former First Lady said the second wife came when the first wife was already there.
The late superstar Oliver Mtukudzi is one point of reference. When his name grew he went on to look for another woman, Daisy leaving his wife Melody Murape the mother to Sandra and Selmor.
Murape could not stomach being in a polygamous union and she left leaving Daisy as Tuku’s wife. Speaking to the Daily News last week she said she met and wed Tuku before he was a big name but as soon as fame grew his eyes started wandering and he sought gratification out of wedlock.
The late sungura giant Tongai Moyo was also a ladies man that his marriage to his first wife Maud Chirwa who is mother to the heir apparent Peter could not survive.
His known marriage after the separation from Peter’s mother was to Barbra Muchengeti who unfortunately committed suicide in 2010. Reports are that she could not withstand being in a polygamous relationship as the musician wanted to marry the surviving spouse Miniehle Mukweli.
Sungura giant Alick Macheso found himself in a similar scenario, having to marry another woman, Fortunate Tafadzwa Mapako while first wife Nyadzisai was still there.
They sired two children together before the marriage collapsed leading to a series of court cases to nullify the union and child support fees. Macheso returned to his first wife Nyadzisai and family.
Dendera musician Suluman Chimbetu was married to Marygold Mutemasango before he rose to prominence as a musician.
