By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
For many fans of Zimbabwe’s self-proclaimed “Gaffa President,” Winky D, the 31st of December 2024 was supposed to be the culmination of a year’s anticipation—his annual Crossover Show at HICC, the iconic venue where the dancehall king has set the stage ablaze for years.
But when the clock struck midnight, there was no Winky D, no electrifying performance, and no raucous celebration of the year gone by. What happened?
Winky D, or Wallace Chirumiko, is known for his reserved nature. He’s the kind of artist who avoids the spotlight in his personal life, letting his music and his fans speak for him.
But when things go awry, as they did that New Year’s Eve, the silence can sometimes leave room for misunderstanding.
The confusion surrounding his absence stems from a mix of miscommunication and missed opportunities.
Apparently, there was no official contract between Winky D and Gateway Stream, the company that manages HICC, for the 31st December 2024 event.
The arrangement had always been informal: Gateway Stream would host the event, with Winky D receiving his payment from the gate proceeds, covering his band, clothes, sound system, and support acts, without a signed booking agreement.
But in 2024, things took a different turn. Bridging Gaps Foundation wanted to hire the venue for an extended period of ten days.
The deal, which promised higher returns for the venue, made business sense.
It was more lucrative for Gateway Stream to accommodate the Foundation’s Celestial Soiree, a glamorous event that attracted a high-profile crowd, rather than host a one-day Winky D concert.
Without the booking in place, the Bridging Gaps event took precedence. Unfortunately, when Winky D’s management sought to reverse the decision, their application was dismissed in court, leaving the artist in the lurch.
Yet, instead of addressing the issue directly, Winky D took to social media on January 2, 2025, sharing a cryptic post that left many of his fans speculating.
In his reflective message, Winky D wrote: “As we start a new year, I am compelled to pause and reflect—on what was, what is, what could have been, and what was not . . . Amidst the tempest, we found flickers of joy and connection through music. Towards the end, I faced hurdles that overwhelmed my feeble heart,” he shared.
Though the post was heartfelt, it didn’t quite address the real reason behind his absence from HICC on 31 December.
Instead, it led some of his fans to wrongly believe that the show had been canceled due to political motives, a misconception that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
The reality was simpler—and arguably more disappointing for both Winky D and his fans. When Gateway Stream offered Winky D an alternative date, 28 December 2024, with a payment offer that would have netted him up to US$100,000, his management turned it down.
Citing concerns about “consistency” and “perception,” they chose not to take the opportunity.
Had Winky D accepted the new offer, he could have closed the year with a substantial payday and a victorious performance.
Instead, his absence on the biggest night of the year became a story of what could have been—a missed opportunity for both the artist and his loyal fans.
While Winky D remains one of Zimbabwe’s biggest musical icons, this incident underscores a bigger issue: his management style, which sometimes seems to prioritize consistency over pragmatic decisions, could hold him back from reaching even greater heights.
For an artist of his caliber, the 31 December no-show serves as a reminder that sometimes, taking the stage is not just about the performance—it’s about seizing the moment, both in music and business.
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