By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Legendary musician Zexie Manatsa’s wife of 49 years Stella has died at age 68.
According to her son Green, Stella who died in her sleep had been unwell for the last few weeks.
Sadly, her death comes seven months after her husband who died on 1 January 2022 at age 78 from cancer.
Stella Manatsa was supportive of the Tea Hobvu singer since his formative years when he used to live in Bulawayo.
A turning point in their life was when an accident occurred on the eve of his album launch on 12 September 1987 which featured the song Highlanders, a dedication to his wife Stella’s football team.
The song Highlanders became an instant hit but Manatsa never enjoyed the popularly wave after he was left in a comma for three weeks.
Manatsa retired from public performance in December 2019 to focus on his ministry.
“When my husband started out his music career I thought he was just entertaining people not knowing that he would be recognised this way.
“Whenever I go back to my village they treat me like a celebrity because they read about me in the papers and also see me on television. Where I was born there are no celebrities but thanks to Manatsa I am now celebrated because of him,” she said last year during a donation by Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS Utd.
Manatsa and Stella threw one of the biggest weddings ever in Zimbabwe at Rufaro Stadium in 1979 where the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi, Tinei Chikupo and Thomas Mapfumo performed to a packed arena. Fans had to pay to attend the wedding.
Manatsa left a rich discography which set him apart from his contemporaries.
In 2020, Manatsa was named as one of the National Art Merit Award Legends @40.
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