By Dorrothy Moyo | The dreaded late retired Air Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri (Rtd) once forced singer Plover Mtukudzi to continue playing music up to 4am, it has been said.

He is said to have ordered two more whisky bottles and that show is said not to have ended at 2am, Tuku’s traditional cut-off time.

The state owned Sunday Mail quotes a family friend, Uzumba legislator Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, who alleges that the two used to attend the late Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi’s shows where they would drink and dance till the wee hours of the morning.

“Tuku wanted to finish his act around his traditional 2am, but Cde Shiri beckoned him to play on. He played till 4am. Afterwards, Cde Shiri told Mtukudzi that if he wanted an extra cheque he would have to come to his office. They laughed it off. Such was Shiri,” said Mudarikwa.
Air Chief Marshal Shiri (Rtd) and Tuku later worked together in launching the traditional Air Force of Zimbabwe band.

“He specifically loved the jiti aspect of Tuku Music and that is how he ended up sitting down with Mtukudzi to form the Air Force band. It was Mtukudzi who helped him to set up the traditional band in the Air Force and the two became buddies as well,” he concludes.