Musician First Batani, popularly known as First Farai, has hit back at critics questioning his election as vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura), dismissing the attacks as malicious, misleading and driven by personal agendas.
First Farai also dismissed renewed allegations linked to an alleged funeral contributions embezzlement case dating back 15 years, describing those resurfacing the issue as “cowards peddling lies” bent on discrediting him.
“People bringing up an issue from 15 years ago are cowards who are peddling lies,” he said.
“These allegations are meant to frustrate me and tarnish my reputation, not to seek truth or accountability.”
The bulk musician said Zimura was not a casual organisation but a globally recognised institution guided by strict governance structures and legal frameworks.
“Zimura is not someone’s personal business. It is an institution governed by laws and a constitution, and everything we are doing is above board,” First Farai said.
He insisted his election as vice-chairperson and that of chairman Alexio “Goodchild” Gwenzi held last week were conducted in line with the Zimura constitution, adding that the process met quorum requirements despite objections from a faction of board members.
Gwenzi was elected as the new Zimura chairperson, taking over from veteran poet Albert Nyathi, who did not participate in the board elections held in October last year.
At the time of the elections, the Zimura board comprised ICT Deputy Minister Dingumuzi Phuti, First Batani, Goodchild Gwenzi, Derreck Mpofu, Gift Amuli, Joseph Garakara, Chiedza Shoniwa and Evelyn Natsai Moyo.
However, First Farai accused fellow board members Mpofu, Garakara and Amuli of a sudden turn and allegedly spreading false claims of forgery, corruption and procedural irregularities after opting not to attend the elections.
“In my capacity as acting chairperson, I personally invited them to attend the board elections,” he said.
“They gave different reasons for not coming, and later we were surprised to hear that they were holding a press conference to attack us.”
First Farai also rejected claims that he had hijacked Amuli’s preferred position of vice-chairperson, stating that Amuli had in fact been seeking the chairperson’s post.
“During the first bout of elections I had even voted for Amuli for chairmanship, but the elections were a stalemate, which compelled us to postpone the elections,” he said.
On allegations surrounding the sale of Zimura’s Avondale flats and a forgery case involving director Polisile Ncube Chimhini, Batani said the matters had been misrepresented to the public.
“The sale of the flats was done properly and documents are available for anyone who wants to verify,” he said. “As for the forgery matter, the courts are yet to determine that case.”
First Farai accused his critics of hiding behind anonymity instead of engaging openly and constructively, warning that the continued circulation of what he described as malicious statements was damaging both to individual reputations and to the institution.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving artists through Zimura and urged stakeholders with genuine concerns to use proper channels rather than resorting to what he termed character assassination.
Meanwhile, Zimura has since dismissed Amuli, Garakara and Mpofu, marking a decisive escalation in the ongoing governance dispute within the artists’ rights body.
However, the trio has strongly disputed the legitimacy of the recently elected Zimura leadership, accusing the new chairperson Gwenzi and the secretariat of abusing association resources and unlawfully purging elected directors.
In a statement dated January 22, 2026 and circulated to Zimura members and artists, the trio described last week board elections as a “phantom election,” alleging that Gwenzi secured only two votes, including his own.
They further accused him of colluding with staff to consolidate power and intimidate the media through what they termed baseless legal threats.
“We categorically reject this attempt to remove directors legally elected by the membership,” the statement reads.
“These removal notices are a legal nullity and a transparent effort to sabotage ongoing investigations into the unauthorised sale of our building and systemic financial misappropriation.”
The group also raised concerns over the continued retention of a senior manager they allege is masquerading as an executive director, insisting that the matter points to deeper governance failures within the association.
In a rallying call to artists, musicians and composers, the trio urged unity among members to resist what it described as the “capture” of Zimura, calling the current standoff the “final stage” in a broader struggle for accountability and transparency.
The trio identified themselves as board members and official representatives of the dissenting faction.
Zimura’s current leadership, however, has rejected the allegations, maintaining that all decisions taken — including the dismissal of Mpofu, Amuli and Garakara — were done in line with the association’s constitution and existing laws.