Tafi Nyamunda, the talented rhythm guitarist who has brought Alick Macheso’s hits like Zuro Ndizuro and Macharangwanda to life, has revealed that he contemplated suicide after suddenly losing his eyesight.
Tafi says his troubles began at home while he was watching TV with his family. What started as a cloudy vision in his left eye quickly spread to his right, and within moments, he was completely blind.
Now, Tafi can only make out blurry shapes and faint light when facing something bright. He relies on an assistant to move around.
“It started when I was just watching TV at home, I saw a cloudy vision on my left eye and the right one followed. I can’t see any more, I am just seeing a blurry vision and a very faint light whenever I face anything bright,” he said.
The shocking news first came out during Macheso’s homecoming show at Warren Park Bar last Friday. A fan broke the story, and once the crowd heard, they quickly came together to raise money for Tafi’s medical expenses and living costs.
Speaking to H-Metro after the show, Tafi admitted that the sudden change left him in deep depression and nearly drove him to take his own life.
Tafi said he had made up his mind to end his life because he couldn’t bear the thought of no longer seeing his children, fans, or moving independently.
“I was going to ask my child to accompany me to buy a pesticide at a local shop, pretending as if I wanted to use it for other business and then drink it,” Tafi said.
However, Alick Macheso intervened just in time. Tafi says Macheso personally sat down with him, counselled him, and reassured him that he was still part of the band family and would not be abandoned.
“Mudhara Macheso often sat down with me for counselling until I told myself that this wasn’t the end of the world and that I was still safe,” he said.
Tafi now encourages others struggling with dark thoughts to seek help before making any drastic decisions.
“My message to anyone deciding to commit suicide is that, firstly, seek advice on any of your problems; you are going to be surprised after realising that your problems were far lighter than problems with most of the people on this earth,” he added.
Today, Tafi moves around with the help of Francis “Sekuru Poto” Charamba, Macheso’s uncle, and also continues to perform at Macheso’s shows.
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The post Macheso’s Guitarist Tafi Nyamunda Opens Up About Going Blind and Battling Suicidal Thoughts appeared first on iHarare News.
