Controversy surrounds Mampi’s Malawi performance payments: Wendy, Lucius row
There is controversy surrounding Zambian R&B singer Mampi Mukape’s payments for performing in Malawi over the weekend, Nyasa Times has established.
According to Alexander Makandawire, the racket came after Malawi’s dancehall queen Wendy Harawa, engaged by Phindu Promotions to manage the shows, allegedly disappeared with Mampi’s money.
Writing on social network Facebook on Monday evening, Mkandawire claimed Wendy is “wanted” as she had bolted with the money to pay Mampi and asked anyone who would see her to report to Police.
But in an interview with Nyasa Times on Tuesday, Wendy denied the allegations, saying she did could not stoop so low and do such as thing to Mampi, who she has known for so long.
She however pushed the blame on musician Lucius Banda for refusing to pay a balance which he owed Mampi for performing at his show which took place at Mkango Lodge in Blantyre on Friday.
“I invited Mampi to perform at Mungo [Park] and Tilipano [Leisure Centre] in Lilongwe on Saturday and Sunday under Phindu Promotions, but Lucius booked her for his show in Blantyre on Friday.
“The show in Blantyre was a flop and because of that he [Lucius] refused to pay the remaining K100,000, saying he did not make enough money,” said Wendy while disclosing the legendary musician was charged K300,000 and he paid K200,000 in advance.
When contacted, the Balaka-based musician denied Wendy’s claims. He said he had paid all the money before Mampi’s performance at Mkango Lodge.
“It’s not true, I paid the whole amount,” said the musician.
He added: “Yes there was K100,000 remaining but I paid before she performed because I had been whispered to by my co-promoter [Abel Kumwenda of Phindu Promotions] that we were made to pay more than what Mampi was charging.”
“I knew we were going to have problems, so I paid the whole chunk on Friday,” said Lucius, while referring Nyasa Times to Kumwenda who also runs Mungo Park.
In a separate interview, Kumwenda said: “Wendy told us 14.7 million [Zambian Kwacha] for Mungo and Tilipano shows and 4.8 million [Zambian Kwacha] for Lucius Banda’s show in Blantyre, but when they [Mampi and her manager Victoria Chembe] came, they told us different figures.”
“I learnt they charged 10 million Zambian Kwacha for the two shows in Lilongwe and 3 million Zambian Kwacha for the show in Blantyre. I paid the whole amount before her performances, only to learn yesterday [Monday] that she did not get the remaining K100,000 from Lucius, which he paid through Wendy.”
Saying he had to pay the amount in question from his coffers, Kumwenda added: “. I also learnt today [Tuesday] that she was detained at Chivumbo Lodge in Area 3 because of unsettled bills. We tried to call her [Wendy] but her phone was off and I had to pay extra K120,000 to settle the bills.
As indicated by Kumwenda, Mampi was supposed to leave Malawi on Wednesday but because of the situation, she was left disappointed and insecure. “She opted to be driven to Chipata this [Tuesday] morning where she took a flight to Lusaka.”
Wendy also denied switching off her phone deliberately, but that the phone was faulty and it went off, saying she even sent a message to Mampi using her neighbour’s phone telling the Zambian she would see her later.
“I just heard from the people that she left, but it wasn’t my intention to switch off my phone and I couldn’t do all that to Mampi, we come a long way,” said the ‘Sindilichoncho’ singer.
Efforts to talk to Mampi and her manager Victoria in Zambia proved futile as we could not get through their mobile phones.
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