Thomas Mapfumo’s lawyers have demanded a retraction and apology from The Sunday Mail over reports portraying Kurai Makore as his musical heir. The post Thomas Mapfumo demands Sunday Mail apology, insists nephew Kurai Makore cannot perform his songs appeared first on Nehanda Radio .
Thomas Mapfumo’s lawyers have demanded a retraction and public apology from The Sunday Mail, accusing journalist Trust Khosa of repeatedly publishing “misleading and factually inaccurate” stories about the Chimurenga music legend’s relationship with his nephew, Kurai Makore.
In a seven-page formal complaint dated August 26, 2026, Warara & Associates said Khosa had misrepresented Mapfumo’s position on Makore’s status, his right to perform the musician’s songs and the reasons behind their bitter family fallout.
The letter, addressed to The Sunday Mail editor and copied to Khosa, insists that Mapfumo has never appointed Makore as the heir or successor to his musical legacy.
Mapfumo’s lawyers accused Khosa of creating a false succession narrative after Makore was invited to open for his uncle during a concert in the United Kingdom.
A June 2025 article written by Khosa reported that Makore had received Mapfumo’s blessing to perform his songs and described the Birmingham concert as an occasion on which the veteran musician would “pass the baton” to his nephew.
The lawyers said the invitation was merely a professional courtesy and carried no inheritance or succession implications.
“Our client has clearly stated he has never designated any heir or successor to his musical legacy,” the complaint reads.
“This was not a ‘passing of the torch’ as your journalist irresponsibly alleged.”
The legal team also disputed reports portraying Makore as influential in Mapfumo’s decision to accept businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s US$1 million offer to perform at two private events.
They said Mapfumo made his own decisions in consultation with his management and that presenting Makore as a key adviser created “a false sense of authority” that did not exist.
The lawyers strongly rejected a recent article which they said suggested that Mapfumo had reversed his decision and authorised Makore to perform his catalogue.
An article published by the Zimpapers stable on August 22 reported that Mapfumo appeared to have “softened his stance” following an earlier cease-and-desist directive. It quoted the musician as describing the dispute as a family matter that should be resolved privately.
However, Mapfumo’s lawyers maintain that Makore remains prohibited from performing, recording or commercially exploiting songs from his uncle’s catalogue without a licence.
“Mr Makore is not authorised to perform, record, or commercially exploit any works from the Thomas Mapfumo catalogue,” the letter states.
They said Mapfumo had personally telephoned his nephew and instructed him to stop performing the copyrighted material.
According to the complaint, Makore allegedly responded during a private exchange: “Handisi kurega kuimba ma songs enyu, muchatondisungisa zvenyu” — translated as: “I am not going to stop singing your songs; you will have to get me arrested.”
The alleged exchange was reportedly witnessed by relatives. Makore has not publicly responded to the claim.
The complaint says the dispute extends beyond music and intellectual-property rights.
Mapfumo’s legal representatives alleged that Makore had repeatedly ignored private and formal requests to stop performing his uncle’s songs over a period exceeding three years.
They accused Khosa of presenting Makore as the sympathetic party while omitting what the Mapfumo camp describes as his private “defiance and disrespect”.
“The relationship between our client and his nephew is irreparably damaged,” the lawyers said, adding that the two were no longer on speaking terms.
They also rejected suggestions that Mapfumo’s children were jealous of Makore because they were not musicians.
The lawyers argued that lawful heirs do not need to perform because the commercial value of a music catalogue also comes from streaming, radio play, films, advertising, licensing and synchronisation rights.
Warara & Associates demanded that The Sunday Mail publish a full retraction and correction with prominence equal to that given to the disputed reports.
The firm also wants the newspaper to issue a printed apology to Mapfumo and publish what it described as a comprehensive account explaining that Makore is not his authorised successor and cannot perform his songs without permission.
It further requested an undertaking from the newspaper and Khosa to stop publishing speculative reports about Mapfumo’s professional affairs, family and intellectual property without first verifying the information with his lawyers or management.
The complaint also criticised the standard of music journalism within the Zimpapers stable, arguing that reporters covering copyright and artists’ rights should have appropriate training.
Neither The Sunday Mail nor Khosa had publicly responded to the demands at the time of publication.
