Mai TT: "Prison Is What Made Me Who I Am" | With Nyasha Michelle

One of Zimbabwe's most talked-about personalities joins With Nyasha Michelle.
Mai TT has entertained millions, inspired thousands and faced some of the biggest public challenges imaginable. In one of her most honest interviews yet, she speaks openly about prison, living with HIV, public judgement, relationships, resilience and rebuilding her life.

In this conversation, Mai Titi discusses:
✨ Why prison changed her life forever
❤️ The man who flew from the UK every two weeks to visit her in prison
🩺 Living openly with HIV and challenging stigma
💔 Betrayal by someone she trusted
🇿🇼 Why Zimbabwean women deserve more freedom to choose happiness

This is a story about resilience, faith and choosing growth over bitterness.

👇 Let us know:
What was your biggest takeaway from Mai Titi's story?

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major streaming platforms.

📲 Follow With Nyasha Michelle for more conversations celebrating African stories, culture and creativity.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

How do you have such thick skin?

SPEAKER_01 0:03

When you tell your mind I'm dying, you will die. Prison is what made me who I am now. I've got no regrets. It strengthened me. You know, it made me braver. I'm a brave person. What can't this woman do? I can't face him. He was a friend. How did he then view you? Everybody wants to be loved. You flew all the way from the UK to come and see me.

SPEAKER_02 0:39

Hey guys, welcome to another special, special episode of With Nyasha Michelle. I know I always tell you that the guest I'm going to be talking to is one that you need to listen to. And I'm gonna say it again today. If you've been tuning in these past few weeks, you know that I am bringing you this whole season. Yeah, well, the whole season from Zimbabwe. And as avo myself, it is a great honor for me to be having conversations with some of these people. Before we get into it, and you guys know who I'm talking to, do not forget to like, share, and subscribe to with Nyasha Michelle and also follow us on the socials. Maybe if you're not following, what are you doing? How are you gonna know what we are up to? At with Nyasha Michelle, and then myself, I am at Nyasha Michelle underscore. I also want to give a little bit of a shout-out to our friends at Nehanda Co. and Aura who have made this outfit available. They've dressed me today, and it's very nice to be also wearing Zimbabwean designs. So uh check them out. Now, let's get into it. Today, the guest that I'm talking to is someone who many of us across generations have looked to. She has revamped herself, she's made herself who she is. She's a musician, she's an entrepreneur, she's a comedian, she's a mother, she's a wife, and she makes money. Listen, she makes money and she don't play when it comes to her moolah, okay? Um, if you've guessed, well done you, but if you haven't, I'm now not gonna hold you too much. I am gonna be talking to my Titi. How are you?

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Good. How are you, Michelle?

SPEAKER_02 2:26

I am very good. Great, too.

SPEAKER_01 2:29

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

Oh, thank you. So do you.

unknown 2:32

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 2:33

No, I really appreciate you taking the time to come and talk to me because the way that I know you, my Titi, I know I don't know you personally, right? Yeah. But from what I know about you, your brand and your work ethic is you work. Yeah. Muno Shanda, like you work. You're such a hard-working woman. And this is one of the reasons why I really wanted to talk to you. Apart from the fact that I told you my aunt, you know, she's a she's a major fan. So shout out to you, Auntie Grace. Uh so this one's for you. Um, let's start with this, though, because I have lots of things to ask you. Okay. A question that I ask everyone when they're talking to me is what is one defining moment that sets you on the path that you are on today?

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Prison.

SPEAKER_02 3:17

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

Tell me about that. Uh I think people are now tired of hearing prison, prison, prison, but I believe uh prison is what made me who I am now. Really? Yeah, than who I was before. It's really paved way for so many things which are happening in my life now, and it actually removed unnecessary stuff which was surrounding my life. So, yeah, prison.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

Who was the mighty tee who walked in there? And who was the mighty T who came out?

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Oh, the mighty T who walked in there was just the overcrowded mighty team. You know, sometimes you get overcrowded with certain things which are not supposed to be in your life. But because when you are, you know, when you are in the public space, uh, you tend to just be grabbing, grabbing things and some things that you're not even supposed to hang on to and stuff. So I guess prison was meant to remove those things, prune me, make me the best version of myself without all these things which were clinging on to me. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:23

What was it like being because I've always wondered. I actually want to do a story on prisons in Zimbabwe. What was it like for you, especially as a woman?

SPEAKER_01 4:32

You know, people expect me to say, I know a lot of people they see prison as hell. But maybe I guess it's because of the way I was built. Prison to me was was awesome. It's it made me, like I'm saying, it made me who I am. It strengthened me. You know, it made me braver. I'm a brave person. I'm that person who who does not fear, who's not scared, but it made me more brave. It built me, it made me understand life in in a different way. It made me see things in a different way. It taught me, you understand? So to me, prison, I'll still say it was the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life. Wow. I've got no regrets. Wow. And before I got there, I had visited prison before I got um uh incarcerated. I had visited prison before, and I made a wish while I was donating. I said, my wish is to just sleep in here and have a feeling of what it's like. It didn't take six months. And you were in there? Then I was in the prison for six months. So I guess my wish came true for me to know what prison is all about. Though, yeah, there are hardships there. You know, sometimes you are missing your family, you are missing your kids. But these are not issues that you can say, oh, I suffered in prison and stuff. It's just like curfew, whereby you are not supposed to do this, you are supposed to sleep at 3 p.m. No one wants to sleep at 3 p.m. But me, when they locked us inside at 3 p.m., that's when I started having so many ideas of doing so many things. So I guess I was in there to branch myself. So many business ideas came from that careful. Because when I was out, there was no time for me to sit without a phone. So prison to me, it was like a remake of Mighty T. No disturbances, no phone, no gossip, no people, no fake friends, no this, no bad influence, no. It was just me. So when you think, you don't have a phone, you have nothing, you have nobody, you think straight. So prison straightened me.

SPEAKER_02 6:45

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Yes. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

I I can imagine that prison does that, but it's very different when you're hearing someone say that. Because when you came out, you did so much. Yeah, and also this is why I also said earlier like I look at you as a person who like you've revamped yourself. Yeah, some things that have absolutely terrified others that has torn people down. You know, some people, uh, they've gone to prison. Uh-huh. And if people are like, ah, that's it, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

Like some they even die because it's it's it's by choice. There, there are people who are still in prison who are terrified, who are always crying. It's your choice. You choose to cry to whine. Is it going to change that you are living in prison or you are going to go out after five years? Sometimes you need to face your fears. That's what I did. Of course, I was a bit scared. I can't say I was not scared. I was like, oh, here I am, prison, I'm here. No. There was a time when I was like, oh my God, the worst is about to happen. But then later on, I just stood up and said, listen, it is what it is. We start from here, we built here, we're not gonna die from here. We're going to get better after this. So I accepted my fate. Yeah. And I started living, you know, within the means of prison. So it wasn't so hard for me. But you choose to be crying, you choose to be, you know, ignorant, you choose to be. Some people even choose to be stubborn because now they are behind bars, they can do whatever. But as for me, like I said, it really put me back in track, on track. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:17

Did you have some people just be like, hey, my titty, my titty? Like, or did they just treat you like a regular person?

SPEAKER_01 8:23

No, no, no, no, no. They never treated me like a regular person. Yeah. Like when I got there, they were waiting for me. There were actually some bullies who were waiting to bully me. No. Because they know that, oh, my TT, she's that woman who stands for herself. You know, there are those groups in prison whereby they will say, no, we want to see who is she. We want to, we want to show her that she's a nobody when she's in prison. But you know, I kept my code and I still stood my ground. Yeah, I refuse to be bullied behind bars. And they knew that, oh, she's here and she she remains who she is or who she was before then. So I got there. I even I was submissive to the authorities there. And you know, those kind of people who take um who takes care of us behind bars, we call them anagogo. They are very complicated people, they can make your life miserable if they want. But you know what you have to do to win their hearts, just be submissive. You can find a gogo who's like 20 years. She doesn't call you my t. Who is my t t behind bars?

SPEAKER_03 9:23

Tell us!

SPEAKER_01 9:28

Programmer, you understand? Yeah. So all you have to do is to obey. Okay. Mati, gogo. All right, gogo. But if you choose to say no, I don't want, then now they'll make your life really hard for you. So with me, I mastered the art. They want me to talk so that they can really do what they were planning to do. But what did I do? I toned down. I became so submissive. I became that child. Treat me anyhow you want. It's yes, ma. Yes, sir. Yes, ma. And you know, I I I won their heart. So like, but she's not the kind of mighty tea people say she is. She listens. I said, yeah, I listen. I do. Yeah. So to me, it was not so hard because I followed the rules. Um, I followed the what they wanted, whatever they wanted, I followed. So I became like, you know, a darling of the prison. They were like, no, this is a different person from what people say. They say, oh, you can't control her, she's rude, she's this, she's that.

SPEAKER_02 10:30

But it took me, you know, submission to and what you've said there is something that I imagine, right? Uh is is some of the things that make you who you are, which is understanding how to navigate a situation, yeah, be it positive, negative, or absolutely terrible, because you've gone through some stuff and some of it has been so public. Yeah. Um, before we get into where you are at now and how some of the things that you've gone through and how you've navigated them outside of prison, who is Felicitas when you were growing up as well? Were there certain things that happened to you or the way that you were brought up that made you the strong, independent woman who's able to like, you know, you you reinvent yourself and you navigate situations no matter how bad they are?

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Okay. Um, I grew up in a Christian family, uh, a very oriented family. My parents are pastors. My dad is late now. So we we were so comfortable. I had a comfortable life. Um I honestly speaking, I didn't know what poverty is all about when I was growing up because we had everything we needed. My dad was, he he really played his fatherly role. It was me sometimes who was stubborn because when I was growing up, I was so intelligent. I was so intelligent in my primary level, my secondary level. And my dad, because of the intelligence that he saw in me, wanted me to be a lawyer. But I had other plans. I wanted to be, you know, I wanted drummer, I wanted to be a singer, I wanted I had other dreams. There was a time when he actually said, if you don't want to be a lawyer, then I'm disowning you. And I said, Cool, disown me because I'm not going to change for anybody. So I refused to go to my A level. So I went from form one up to form four. But I've passed. Then I said, no, I don't want to continue with my education. I need to pursue my dream. I need to be a superstar. I all my life. You already knew. Yeah, I already knew because even at school I was a superstar. I was in the choir, I played netball, I played soccer, I was in in in I was everywhere. Traditional dance. You know, I was just dominating my childhood. I was just a dominating person. You know, my schools, all the schools I attended, they were proud of me. Even the schools up to now, they have my pictures there. This might she was here. And we I was a prefect, I was a head girl. So my life was, yeah, yeah. I was I was achieving from birth.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:03

You know, I was just that unique child. My mother would say she was just unique from birth. Sometimes at home, if visitors, when visitors came, my mother would call me and say, I want you to entertain them. Ah, it didn't take me a second. I'll be singing already. Dancing. Yeah. So it was it's something that was that is within me. It's not something that I'm trying to create or whatever. This is who I am. I was born like that. So then later on now, for me now to have this other character that people say, oh, she's like this. It was now through marriages. My marriages were terrible. Those are the ones which made me to be that hard knock, that person that, you know, you can't bully me. Because I was bullied too much in my marriages. I got uh impregnated when I was 18. Uh, soon after school, there was a boy I was dating. And then, you know, the way he got me pregnant, it was just it's so funny and embarrassing. I was like, Are you a virgin? I said, Yes, I am. So let's see. So that's how I got pregnant because he was trying to see if I'm a virgin, not knowing he's already, you know, doing the thing. I was young. Then when I got pregnant, my parents said, You can't live with us anymore, you have to go there. I started living with the guy. Yes, they do. Yeah, and and he really didn't love me because it was like the three of us. The guy was a ghetto, handsome guy, you know. He was staying in the ghetto and the guy was light, so he was like every girl's peck. So he impregnated the three of us at the same time. With three girls at the same time. Yeah, yeah. So he's got uh three firstborns who are almost of the same age. Maybe the difference is with the time, one maybe when uh so I was the first to elope before the two, but there was one whiny at order. So he was just tolerating me because I came with my aunts, you know, the shona couch and stuff. And his mother really loved me. Like I would go to the house, sweep the floors before even I got pregnant. So they would see me and say, ah, I'm scanning and stuff like that. So I won the brother's heart, the sister's heart, the mother's heart. So when I got there, they were like, no, no, she can come and stay with us. But with him, he was like, nah, this is not the one I want. But because of the family, they loved me. So during my stay with him, he was so abusive. He would go out, he would go out for weeks without coming back. And when he returned, the mother would hit him. Why are you doing this to a pregnant, your pregnant wife? So it was like he's forced to be with me. So when I I suffered a lot. It was not even a blissful marriage, it was a blissful family affair, not a marriage, because with him, he didn't want even the one who paid for my damages. It was not even him, it was the brother.

SPEAKER_03 15:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 15:47

Who married on his behalf. Yeah. According to him, he didn't want me, it was a mistake. So the family married me, and you know, they were trying to, they were saying, no, maybe it's the pregnancy, you guys you get along just like you were getting along before you were pregnant, you know, but it didn't work. Eventually, I gave birth when they took me back to my parents' house, da mm nine months, kumasungiro, and when I was returned to their house, that's when he shut all the doors, locked the doors, and said, I don't want to see that girl here, I don't want to see her here, I don't want to see that child here. So later on, I accepted and I moved back with my parents. And then I got married again. And then this other marriage, now it was the man who loved me, but the mother. So you see, the abuse was coming from different people. You know, now the mother, my mother-in-law was so cruel she didn't like me because I had a child from my previous marriage. So mvana, yeah. Imagine mvana, kuroru wa namkumana, the guy mkumana. I was now 21, he was 23. So I thought, ah, but stuff like that. But the guy tried Mira.

SPEAKER_02 16:54

To make it work.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

To make it work. We even wedded, white wedding. But the mother, ah, she had a black heart.

SPEAKER_00 17:01

We'll be right back.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

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SPEAKER_00 18:03

Now, back to Michelle.

SPEAKER_01 18:05

She didn't like she would pretend, but you know you can't pretend for long. Yeah. So there were fights almost every time. Now the guy was caught up in between the mother and the wife. So later on it didn't work again. And it affected me mentally, it affected my health wise, uh, because I ended up being infected and stuff like that. And then I left again. So these things which were happening at that time, they now made me the person I am. Because imagine you garage, temper fight.

SPEAKER_02 18:44

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

Yeah, but no, no, no. Enough is enough. Because I know Kura and Chin Zwaro. But in this marriage, stuff like that. So those are this mighty to who is so defensive. No, you don't mess with me, you don't provoke me like that because that was done to me a long time ago, and enough is enough.

SPEAKER_02 19:05

Yeah. Yeah. What would your advice be to women who are in relationships that that kind of reflect what you've just said? Because I can imagine that there are so many people right now who are tuned in, who are like, eh, when you're talking, they're probably shaking their heads like, ah, good. So, like, what would your advice be to somebody who's in a semester?

SPEAKER_01 19:27

I'm not I'm not a good person. I'm not the right person to advise because people judge me. Because even after those marriages, I got involved in a lot of relationships, I think like four or so. So people judge me like, why is she always getting in and out of relationships? But this whole thing, this whole abuse told me that I can't settle. I don't want to settle for less. If you don't want me, I go. If you if if you cheat on me, I leave. I don't need to endure. I've enjoyed, I enjoyed so much. In my previous marriages, I endured so much. And when you go home, your parents tell you, go back to your husband. He beats you, I go with a soul. I they'll tell you, go back to your husband. And I'm pregnant. And you can't cry to anybody because our parents believe that endure you endurance is the key. Finally, things will be look at me, I've got five children. How do you think I've stayed with your father? If he do you think he never beat me before? But because I'm a strong woman, because what will people say in the community and the church? You know, these church people. Most of these people, they are responsible for a lot of people's deaths. Because you go there, you are hurting, you are dying, they'll tell you, go back. Let the man finish you completely. And then after the man finishes you, they start talking. She told me, oh, she suffered, oh, but it's too late. So with me, I told myself, no, that time I endured pain and sufferings. That was that, that was then. I didn't know how to go on with my life. I wasn't working, I was broke. Why do I need to endure pain when I can work, I can earn, I have my own money, I can afford my life. Then I have someone stressing me, beating me. For what reason? And I have I'm supposed to endure. You cheat on me, you impregnate someone. I'm, oh, thank you, Daddy. For what? No, just get out of my life. I will have another one. Yes. Until I find the right one, then I'll rest. And I'm happy because I found the right one who understands me, who loves me unconditionally. I don't, I don't even think I don't, I I can't, I don't know what to say. But I guess God answered my prayer because it was a prayer. It's not like I wanted to fall in and out of relationships, but I just wanted the right person who loves me. Because I don't know, I didn't know what love is, but I wished for it. And I found it now. Because before then I thought love was enduring the abuse. I thought love was giving a man money, helping a man financially so that he can. Love you, luring a man to say, Let me help you. I know in the future you help me back. But no, uh-uh. Uh-uh. I don't do that. You don't have money, just live my life, disappear.

SPEAKER_02 22:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:10

Yeah, you got nothing to overgo. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

Yeah. I love that strength. Ah, because I can see we have seen it as you have been in the public eye. And um, certainly having gone through a lot of the things that you've gone through. But also, you've really, like you said, you make your own money because you've made your name. Yes. Like how when did my TT then come through? Like, what was it that made you think like, ah, yo, this is there's something here.

SPEAKER_01 22:37

You see, all this abuse made the name. So when I was pregnant with Titi, I went to this certain church which I used to go. Um, I used to go to Prophet Angels Um church. And that time I was pregnant, we were having so many problems with the dad. So now the man of God just it was just walking, passing through. Then we stopped and he looked at me and he said, you know. And I was like, okay, what is it? Then he said, you know what? What you are crying for is not supposed, it's not supposed to be what you need to be crying for right now. What you are carrying, you need to secure what you are carrying. You are carrying the biggest blessing of your life. And all these people looking at you now will be looking for you in the future. But you'll be so busy that you won't be able to attend all these people. He even told the audience that get this woman's number. This woman is going to be very, very popular. And she's going to be a millionaire. And that time, you know, I used to beg for 50 cents to go back home after church. So I was just looking at myself like, what is he even talking about? He said, worry not about this man. Worry more about what you are carrying. This child, when this child comes out, your life is going to change. Wow. So he said, keep this pregnancy, keep it safe. Don't get a miscarriage. He kept on saying that let no miscarriage touch this thing because this thing carries your breakthrough. Wow. So I now nursed this big belly because I was like, no, something is going to happen. I believe so much in that man. Even up to now, I respect him because he prophesied over my life. And it came to pass. It came to pass years later, after so much suffering. But it came to pass. So I gave birth to Titi. Then I struggled, I struggled, I started renting with my kids, stayed in one room, you know, going around washing for people, looking for peace jobs, selling this, you know, eating from leftovers. There's nothing I didn't do except for prostitution, because that one, uh-uh, I can't sell my body. No matter what, I could not. So later on, um, that's when I started, I I I opened a page, the Facebook page. And then I was so bitter with my ex because you know, you know, I'm HIV positive, right? So I had this bitterness in me. I needed to vent. So before venting, I was posting some small, small stories from my previous marriages, just making it like a comic something, but it's a story that had happened in my marriage. Like sometimes we'd fight, why are you not putting me on a profile picture? Why are you not uploading my picture so that because you are we would fight over that? But I turned all those stories into comics because I just wanted to pass a message. But those were my life stories. But later on, what really made me to blow up was my venting. One day I was so bitter, I was so pained, I just switched off my switched on my Facebook Live. I started saying, no, this man ruined my life. Because that time I thought, no, HIV is going to kill me. Little did I know that you can leave. This is almost 10 years later. This is almost 14 years later. I'm I'm well. Do I look like I have it? I'm alive, I'm happy, I've got everything that anybody is having. Even more. You understand? So that time I would just think I'm good, I'm dying because I didn't have knowledge about it. Then later on, I went for counseling, I went for a lot of things. I started knowing more about what is HIV, what is the difference between HIV and AIDS? And I'm like, no, I don't have AIDS, I have HIV. I can suppress it, I can take my drugs, I can fall in love, I can have more children. You know, I then accepted it and I started living my life. So things started changing. Then so soon after that venting, I got so many followers. Now people wanted to know when is she going to vent next? What is she going to do next? Now I was like, no, I have followers now. Let me use my platform for other things, not just for venting. So I started doing my short clips, posting jokes and doing this and that. Then later on, I was like, this page I can even use it for business. So I'll sell whatever I have, and I had I had so many people supporting me up to date.

SPEAKER_00 27:01

We'll be right back.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

If you're part of the Zimbabwean community or send money anywhere in Africa, this one's for you. Today's episode is sponsored by TapTap Send, a fast, secure, and convenient way to send money to family and friends back home. No stress, no hidden fees, just your money getting where it needs to go. And here's the best part. If you're a new user, you get 20 pounds free on your first transfer using my code MUNYASHA. If you've been meaning to find a better way to send money, now's the perfect one. Download TapTapSent. Don't forget to use my code MUNYASHA and claim your free 20 pound bonus. The link is in the show notes. Now back to the show.

SPEAKER_00 27:42

Now, back to the show.

SPEAKER_01 27:44

Though I get a lot of backlash from people, sometimes people, when they want to get to my nails or when they think they are getting into my nails, you hear someone typing Losakaune AIDS. And I'm like, who told you? It is me who told you in the first place. So why are you telling me what I told you? Are you crazy? I need new insults. What's this one? I'm the one who told you. So why are you reminding me of what I told you? Because if I didn't want to tell them, they were never going to be. So I get that a lot. And sometimes people are like, oh, these men who are dating me, are they not afraid to die? I said, Do you think they are stupid? They know. Because I go public like that. I don't need to hide it to anybody. So everywhere I am, even when I'm at a function, or like last night I was an MC somewhere, it was now eight o'clock. I said, Can I have some water? I need to take my drugs.

SPEAKER_03 28:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:36

Yeah, in front of everybody. And some people will laugh, but I'm serious. I'm taking my drugs. So I'm very open about my status. Uh so that I encourage, because I know a lot of people, a lot of people. I think even in this country, three-quarters of people have got HIV. But they are so shy. They don't want to talk about it. Men, they don't want to go and get tested, of which they are mostly the ones who are always giving it to this, you know, recycling it and stuff. So I always, wherever I go, I teach people. Sometimes I do lives on my page. I'm telling people it's not the end of the world. And most of my fans, they come to me to confide, especially those in my status. How do you do it? I'm positive. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to tell this person. Tell them. It's for the best. Because if you don't tell them, you end up in jail.

SPEAKER_02 29:24

Jail. That's illegal.

SPEAKER_01 29:25

So you have to tell them. You're having a boyfriend. Tell that boyfriend this is who I am. If a person really loves you, if a person really loves you, they will love you with what you have. Even if you are blind, besides having HIV or ever, if a person loves you, they will love you regardless. That's my belief. That's why I was dating all this. But it's not about, oh, I have to hide something. This is me. I'm an open book. Take it or leave it. That's me. I don't need to hide anything. I don't need to, I don't even need to cry about it. Every time anybody comes to me, the first thing, my introduction, I'm Felicitas Muraja, Mighty T, a mom, a wife, HIV positive, a philanthropist, an advocate for women and children. That's my introduction. So that you know. So to me, it's no news. It's not something. I used to cry a long time ago, but now to me, uh-uh. No. I really teach a lot of people about it. I tell people about it. I tell people something, look at me. Am I not living the life that you are living? Maybe you are not. Are we not living the same life? Are we not breathing the same air? Are we not driving cars? Are we not buying houses? What's wrong? Are we not in love? Are we not getting laid? Yeah, we are doing everything.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

That's one thing though I would say I admire and I definitely advocate for. Yeah. Because I left though when I was 12, but I remember a lot. One thing I remember is a lot of people died because they would never say that they had it. But outside of that, because then it's not necessarily that they would never say it because you, you know, you share what you're comfortable with and who you're comfortable with, they didn't get tested, or they didn't take their medication. Or they went to the prophets and they said, I want no, it's they don't take medication. Yeah, I think that is one of the issues that we've seen and that has killed off like our people. Yeah. So what would you want to see more being done, I guess, for from a higher level, governmental level, national level?

SPEAKER_01 31:30

Yes, because it's a it's a national, it's not a national crisis, it's a universal, universal crisis. So people need to be taught, people need to be told, take your meds, no matter which prophet says what. Go to church, pray to God, take your meds. Because the Bible said God helps those who also help themselves. So if you are claimed to God, just tell God, God, make these pills better me. Not because you know these pills, sometimes when you take them, sometimes they affect you. Sometimes they don't click with your blood and whatever, you get you, you, you get um a lot of uh, what you call it, your aside effects and stuff like that. So now when you don't take them, it's going to get worse. And when you default, you will die. Gonna the days when you see people who are living with HIV with that Kelly hair. It's it's for a long time ago. You can't be seen with for who? Are you crazy? Are you stupid? There are pills nowadays. Just take your meds, be healthy, you know? A lot of people who are seeing there, a lot of beautiful, all these slay queens you are seeing there with the memes and I mean, all of them, they are taking meds. They are healthy because they are they are taking their meds. So I want to encourage people, take your meds. Simple as that. What kills a person is not the disease, is the stress, is the mind. When you tell your mind I'm dying, you will die. When you tell your mind I'm going, you will go. But when you tell your mind I'm going to take my meds, I'm gonna go on, you will definitely go on. So what kills is not HIV. Look at cancer. Cancer took my dad in a short space of time. I've got HIV, I've lived for more than 15 years now. You see? So it's not about what you are suffering from, it's about your mindset. Fight it, you know? It's not the end of the world. And I think the government should really intervene. You know, you know, you know, open these groups. So many of these groups, these groups that encourage people, go around even in the villages and whatnot. Encourage people to go and get tested. You know, those people were never cuts, four or five. Go get tested. How you laying everybody and you do you don't know your status? You understand? So, yeah, they need to really play a big role so that people can be safe from this thing. It's honestly, it's really nothing.

SPEAKER_02 33:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

Honestly, it's nothing. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

We've come to a point where having HIV should not be sick.

SPEAKER_01 33:55

Should not be, yeah, it's to me, it's a joke. Yeah, you tell me I've got HIV, and you know, you understand? A migraine, a simple migraine, bam, you are gone. Some people are dying from heart failure. They are going to work in the morning, all of a sudden, they're sitting on their chair, they're gone. What happened? A healthy person like that. So it's not about who's dying first. Yeah. Nobody knows. And me, I'm gonna leave. Everyone else is gonna die. Me, I'm gonna leave. Yeah, I'm gonna bury people.

SPEAKER_02 34:29

The boldness and the confidence of that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you know, I want to go back to you mentioned your dad as well. Um, that he passed away um suddenly from or in a really short space of time from cancer. When you began doing in these uh skits and stuff, was he still alive? Yes. Okay, as the man, as the father who wanted you to be the lawyer, once you began gaining momentum and popularity and building a brand, how did he then view you? Did he still, was he proud of you?

SPEAKER_01 35:00

Yeah, my dad loved me. Yeah, he was heartbroken because I didn't follow whatever, but later on, he began to be proud of me.

SPEAKER_03 35:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:08

Because at the end of the day, that shit I was doing, it was putting food on their table. So it was like, okay, I thought good. I thought it's just for, you know, but at least it's giving you something. So keep on, keeping it. He was very supportive, very, very supportive until the end. My dad would support. Sometimes I would even engage him in some of my videos just to show people this is my dad and stuff. So he was a very supportive man, and I miss him because we're buddies like that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:36

So um moving on from what you know your father was then very proud of.

SPEAKER_03 35:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:42

Um, and what I also mentioned earlier, with just the way that you have become this person who's able to thrive in these different industries. By the way, one of my favorite songs, and I am not joking, guys, one of my favorite songs is your song with um Freeman.

SPEAKER_01 36:00

Okay, Zizi.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

That's the way I would play that song over and over and over again. And I think I remember I was just listening to his album, and then I saw, you know, your name, and I'm like, oh wait, hold on, she sings. And then when I listened to it, then of course I watched the video, and I'm like, how is it this woman? You have the flow, you have the voice, and it's very cleverly done in terms of like your interactions with the lyrics, how you guys are talking to each other. Um, I'm using that as a reference to you now getting into other industries. How did you did you think, okay, I'm just gonna try it out? I don't know what it's gonna do, or did you know already I've also got this capability, I've got this capability because of course you're also an actress, you know, you've gone to Nollywood, all of those things.

SPEAKER_01 36:45

So you remember before I told you when my dad wanted me to be a lawyer, I wanted to be a singer. Yeah. Because it is a gift within not only me in my family. Oh, okay. If you look at my if you look on my page, you see uh at some point I'll be singing with my sisters. So it's not only me who sings in my family. My dad used to sing, my mom sings, my sisters sing, so it was a family gift, you understand? So they wanted me to sing, but not secular music.

SPEAKER_02 37:13

Oh, church music.

SPEAKER_01 37:15

Yes, okay, and that time I was so obsessed with rocky because that time he was singing this cheat. I was like, no, I want to do these kind of things, be breaking down and you know, wearing hipsters. I'm one of those people who grew up, my parents saying you can't wear trousers, but I had about 15. Yeah, I was like, no, you know, you're not gonna control me like that. They didn't want me to wear my skin tights, my hipster at that time, and I would be seeing other kids, fake and stuff. It's a life that I wanted. I wanted to be a superstar. So they wanted me to sing gospel, not secular. So this thing is not like I wanted to try, it's something that I've always born with. Yeah. Could Vaku Sunday school, could core, could secondary, could primary shikandashka pandashika. So now people knew me as Monwema's kids, but the real me is Mighty T the musician. So I wanted people to know that side that I really wanted to. Because when I tried it, it didn't work out. But was the time when I released my songs, Akatumbo play were on that time? It was called Power FM. The those two songs were called Regiriro and the Pereira. Akato mbo it hit the chats and stuff like that. And I was still young then, Pandovandas or Regi Gedza, because it was not really going my way. So Pandakazo Tangash, my skits and stuff like that. I didn't forget who I really wanted to be, the musician. So this was this was just a way of showing them that I can also do this. I can also sing.

SPEAKER_02 38:41

Yeah. Yeah. What's your favorite song that you've done?

SPEAKER_01 38:46

I've got so many favorite songs, but the best song that I love that is so personal and dear to me is called Daoya. It's from my gospel album, which I did. Because that song, it was like a prayer. I was telling God that I am back to you. Because after prison, I realized, you know, sometimes you get caught up in two worlds, and I was getting lost in the other world, of which my world is not that world. So when I wrote those lyrics, I was telling God that, you know what, I am redirecting myself. I'm coming to you. Please protect me from this world that we live in. You know, when you become a public figure, it's like you are caught up in a certain, you know, environment that is so confusing. And sometimes you end up pleasing the wrong crowd. So when I sang that song, it was my prayer, crying to God that no, I still know you are there. Please take me back where I belong. And I belong to Christ. Because I'm a Christian. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:47

Yeah. Yeah. And and He's managed to navigate you through so many things?

SPEAKER_01 39:52

So many things. Like behind bars, he had to revisit and say, you see? You see your life?

SPEAKER_02 39:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:58

You see your life? You want to run away? You can never. And you know, when you have a calling, you can never run away. Yeah. And I believe I have a calling. I've got that calling, and I've been so much trying to run away. Because I see now people of God struggle. It's like, I think it's just how the life is designed. God's people, they struggle a lot. Go through a lot. But you see, these worldly people is like things that just flow. But sometimes you need to go through the struggles to have a better life. Because there's a life that is there that we are yet to taste. That is not this world life. This worldly life is temporary. So that's why it's so exciting because it's very temporary. Temporary things are very exciting. And it's not happening like a bubblegum. It's very sweet. But later on it turns to sour. But eternal life, eternal happiness. So you start from the struggles, but at the end of it all, the fruits are going to be. So this is where I want to go. I don't want to perish.

SPEAKER_02 40:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:59

I want to see the kingdom of God. I want to have a taste of that life. I know it's there. So let me struggle. It's okay. I don't want to do shortcuts anymore. I want to go through the channel.

SPEAKER_02 41:13

Is it difficult to hold on to your faith when you're in this industry?

SPEAKER_01 41:17

Yes. It's very challenging because a lot of challenges you face so many challenges and so many temptations. And people like us who are Christian, we've got a Christian background, the devil knows. The devil knows me. And the devil, the devil knows this one, if we leave her, she's going to turn so many souls to where he doesn't want those souls to be at. No wonder all these fights, this confusion, it's always wanting to confuse me. Because once I focus, the devil is in trouble. And he knows that. That once this woman focuses, I'm in trouble. So we are always fighting. What I'm trying to focus is trying to distract. I'm trying to focus. And the way he distracts, he sends all these people and all this drama. In this world, ah, it's drama after drama after drama. I think we have our own Illuminati here in Zimbabwe. I swear to God. Even when you're trying to mind your own business, they always come to attack. Even when you are when you are on your own, on your on your side, they always come there to disturb you and distract you. So it is what it is, but what can we do? We keep on fighting.

SPEAKER_02 42:31

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 42:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:32

And just speaking of keeping on fighting and um pursuing because ignoring the devil and his distractions. Another, I guess, industry that you've also tapped into that I alluded to earlier was you've gone into Nollywood. What how did that come about? Because I'm telling you, Mighty guy, I'm scrolling minding my business on my um Inon Zijigwe Instagram and I see she's now in Nollywood. There's these things going on. And I'm like, what can't this woman do? And so if you're not familiar with Zimbabwe and you know the landscape in Zimbabwe, if you're not familiar um with Mighty T, like if you go back now and look at her, um, you you are what I said earlier, you're an entrepreneur. Yeah, you've been doing so much. Yes. So how do we did we get from okay, we're doing skits, we're doing our thing here, we're doing music, and now we're in Nigeria. How did that come about?

SPEAKER_01 43:25

It was all part of the plan. Okay. It was something that I've always wanted to do. Growing up, watching those African actors, I I my heart would skip. Really? Like, I really wish I would meet them. I want to be a part of them. It was in me. So when I'm watching, I'm also seeing myself in there. I'm like, whoa, one day.

SPEAKER_03 43:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:46

You know the thing with me, I'm a go getter. Even if I don't get it now, I'll still get it. I I don't know how it happens, but what I know is when I want, if I want to go and meet me. Michelle, me, myself, even if Michelle has got 20 bodyguards, I'll get to Michelle. I don't know how, but I'll get to Michelle. So with me, those people were part of my plan. And I had to get them. And somehow just God made the way.

unknown 44:14

Really?

SPEAKER_01 44:14

Because I had to find a way. But I guess God made that way. Because it's not easy to get to those people. So I I've got my friends, my Nigerian friends. So I just told them, no, I need to I need to do a movie. Is it possible to get people like this and this? Because I really like these people. Like, yeah, money makes things possible. Just bring the mooler and do you see those people? So I worked hard for it. My husband assisted me, and boom, those people were available. They were even calling me boss because I was the producer. I was the executive producer. And you know, you were the one paying those people. So this is me, Felistas, and this is Michael. So you're saying, Ma, I like me. Me, me, who's dying to meet you. So I met them. We they they they wrote the script. I told them my story. Uh, then they have a script writer, they put my story there, then they they built, they, they took some, they they compiled characters. This one matches this one, this one matches this one, and then we met, and then boom, we are working.

SPEAKER_03 45:17

My gosh.

SPEAKER_01 45:17

And they are nice people. The way they will they will treat you is like you guys know each other from years back. They make you feel comfortable, they make you feel like you know you can do it. They kept telling me, yes, it's your first time, but you can do it, you can do it. So I really had a great time. Yeah, yeah. So God did. Yeah, he did.

SPEAKER_02 45:36

He came through because that all of us we saw it.

SPEAKER_01 45:39

Yeah, and it was a shocker because a lot of people have tried. Some people tried and they failed. Some people tried to to to break through, but it they failed.

SPEAKER_02 45:49

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:50

But I I made it all the way.

SPEAKER_02 45:52

And in this season, I've I've told you, I chosen to come to Zimbabwe because I want to highlight the different um aspects of Zimbabwean culture, industries, uh, those that are thriving, and also those that, you know, could do better. But either way, they all need to be addressed. They all have so much great potential. And a previous guest of uh that I spoke to was Nakai Matema. She's a film producer and she was literally doing films from, you know, even during the time that apartheid was going on and the Zim film industry was thriving. And she really gave us a good insight into what happened, what the before, the during, and then the after, right? So you've gone and you've achieved this, you've gone to Nollywood because Nollywood is an established industry. Yes, right. What are some of the things that you learned there that you think the Zimbabwean industry could benefit from?

SPEAKER_01 46:41

Hey, I learned a lot, and you know, being there, it actually challenged me. Uh, I told myself that we are not yet there. Yeah, not even a quarter way. Those people put in the work. Yeah, those people put in the work, they commit. We are not committed, we are playful.

SPEAKER_02 47:01

I think so.

SPEAKER_01 47:02

We are very playful. We think we are we have reached there. You know, we think we have arrived. No, we haven't even started. You know, in Nigeria, if you call a nail technician, they will bring these cameras, they will bring lights. What is this for? They'll bring forward the assistants. These are just nails. They say, My sister, we advertise, we need to put in the work. We need good lighting. We need they put in the work. There's nothing like sleep, there's nothing like rest. We shot our movie in five days. I don't remember sleeping in those five days. Sleeping, it was just for an hour. We started shooting from six to six. They would tell us, go and bath and come back. And when you see them, they are fit, they are strong. Like, how are you guys surviving? There's a time I cried. I said, No, I'm tired. You say, Madam, if you are tired, you have money, right? Go and sleep. We'll all go and sleep. But just now, tomorrow you are adding more money to our accounts because us we work with money. So just by telling you that, and here you are, you have you have you have used all the money, it will give you power. Say, let me work. They can tell you we have to shoot in three days, and they will do it. These people work very hard. I learned that consistency is the key. I learned about teamwork. Nigerians, they support each other. Here we divide each other, we compete. You see, when I went to Nigeria, the attacks I got, the back instead of my fellow Zimbabweans to support me, oh, what is this? Oh, what is this? But you know, getting into Nollywood is not easy. But there is someone saying, Oh, these people she's acting with, they were from a long time ago. These people are well respected people in their land because they've done the most for their country. But here in Zimbabwe, ah, n we baga pera. But these are veterans, they call them veterans. And every event, even the upcoming, the latest virtual no ekta nawa, they respect them. They bow. In Nigeria, when people see people, see their seniors. You see them bowing. Yeah. They bow and they'll pet them at the back like this. It is you see. But here, we don't have all that. Munanon Zagariaga Pera Gudara, when they see that person, they have no respect whatsoever. They don't want to learn. You know, you learn from the old tricks. Old tricks are the best tricks. You can't be chasing over someone who just came in the industry yesterday. There's somebody who was in the industry 23 or 50 years. They know much better than yourself. So I've learned that respect and teamwork. When you work together as a team, Shinujino Buddha. And it's my wish to see us coming together and working together. Even when I came here, I called out. I said, I need people in there who want to act and whatnot. Just because someone has got that pride, they can do it. But the fact that, oh, it's my T, I'm not gonna go there. I have my pride. They're actually looking for my connections to do their own thing. But who made you to know those connections? It was me. But because you just want to come through me, you want to skip that to go there. So that you can be the one on top. You don't want to say, oh, through my TT we learned this. That's the problem with us here. But back there, they learn through their seniors. So I learned a lot. So when I came back, I said I want to start my own. I want to do Zimbohood and isn't in the process because you know there's Nollywood, there's Hollywood. Then I was like, no, I need to start my own Zimbohood, whereby I invite actors, you know, those people who have got passion for acting and other experienced actors from all over. We do movies, we write scripts, you know. I learned a lot. Such that now I can sit here and be directing action. Do this. Oh, yes. We like it. Yeah, I learned I learned all that. Yeah. So that is what I am doing now. Yeah. You know, producing. We are working on stuff, but you know, it's it doesn't just happen. It doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't happen overnight. Yeah. But I believe it's going to be something bigger and greater.

SPEAKER_02 51:27

Wow. Yeah. Wow. Oh my gosh. Like just speaking to you and just finding out about how you've navigated life and it's its ups and its downs. I can see why so many people are inspired are inspired by you. So there's one thing that I decided to do. I reached out to a couple of people and I said, guys, my Titi is going to be on my podcast. Yeah. Um, and I asked a few of them what's one question that they would want to ask you if they were sitting here. Okay. So we are going to start with a question from my aunt. Because my auntie Grace Auntie, I told you.

SPEAKER_01 51:59

Auntie Grace. She heard a lot about you.

SPEAKER_02 52:03

You know, she's going to be very happy because actually, she's also one that people confuse her to be my mother. Because she's my mother's youngest sister. Okay. She's a baby of the family. And like I said, she's a massive fan of yours. And she's the one who I probably would have to say thank you for this. Because even before I decided to come to Zimbabwe, she'd always say to me, You should interview my titty. So, Auntie Grace, here is uh your question. And she says, Um, and by the way, she's she also purchases products from you.

SPEAKER_01 52:31

Oh, okay. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 52:32

Thank you, Auntie Grace. And I think she said, Ah, yo, I'm here doing thingy for her. She said to tell you that her name comes up on WhatsApp as My Mona. I don't know. You have lots of people, so you might not realize.

SPEAKER_01 52:42

Okay, she should text me so that I would share.

SPEAKER_02 52:44

I would tell her. After this, I'll definitely tell her. So um, she uh she wants to know. You've you have explained this a little, um, not a little, actually, quite quite a bit, but I don't know if you want to still, I still want to ask you the question. She wants to know how do you have such thick skin to have gone through life and to still be thriving?

SPEAKER_01 53:05

Like I said before, the pain made me who I am. I am pain made. So, you know, when you're pain made, you really don't you are no longer afraid of anything because everything has happened so far to me. So, what else is left for me to to fear? Yeah, so pain uh made me to have a thick skin.

SPEAKER_02 53:30

Yeah, yes, okay. The next question comes from a very young girl, she's about 23 years old. Okay, and she says, Marriage seems to come easy for you, my T T. Well, some of us can't even get one husband. So, and she inserts a laugh emoji. Um, what's your advice then for getting married?

SPEAKER_01 53:53

Marriage does not come easy to me, but I guess I was just a target to broke men. Yeah. So broke men saw me as an opportunity uh for them to make money. Uh, you know, coming in with this, I love you, I want to marry you. So to me, it's sad. It's it's not something I'm proud of that I've had um a couple of relationships, failed relationships. Yeah. Because me myself, my wish was to settle once and be happy. Yeah. But it didn't happen that way. I always wished to be my mom. My mom married my dad, and my dad would break. Oh, she was a virgin. And you know, he was so proud of my mom. And they've been together, kushikabonguafa. That was my wish. I never wished to date Varume, Vakawanda, or whatever. It's not in me. And I refuse up to now. You see, people labeling me, oh, she's a hoe. I'm not a hoe. I'm just an unfortunate woman to broke men because broke men right. This woman has got a pure, I've got a pure heart. When I love, I love with everything. I'm not that person and when I love you, I mean it. I don't fake. I don't pretend. I'm not a pretender. I don't know how to pretend. I don't know how to fake. When I love you, I love you with my everything. And I do everything because it's coming out of love. So it's not like it's easy because these people will just lure me, and here I am. I'm foolish enough to think, oh, this person loves me, not knowing the agenda. So so many of these guys who are who were coming, who were passing through my life, they have agendas. I've got another one who wanted a visa, he passed through me. Another one who passed through me because he wanted money, another one who passed through me because so you see, they knew that this woman, because she's I think to them, they saw it as desperation. She's desperate for love. All I wanted was to be loved. Everybody wants to be loved. My sweet. Oh, you can't tell me no, don't date. Who are you? I can never be the sister. She's not gonna be a white collar for who? In the Bible says it's there for the men and the woman, they will not live alone, they shall be together. They leave their parents' house, and they shall play. So who are you to tell me no? Marriage is not for you, it's for me. I know my soulmate is there, and my soulmate is here now. I'm happy. So it's not easy, and we can only pray for God to give us that spirit of discernment. Yeah. So to that girl, may God give you a spirit of discernment. Don't think marriage is easy. Just know there are wolves in sheep clothing who come to take advantage of you because of what you have. Because me, I am that woman. By now, I would have been a millionaire if not for these broke ass niggas who be coming in alive. Can I get 20? Can you give me 20 grand? Some of them ended up selling my cars just to please a man.

unknown 56:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 56:56

You understand? So you need to have that spirit of discernment. This person who's coming to me, is it for me? It's not easy even to dissent, because even the one I have now, when he came, I was like, no, it's just one of those. Yeah. But he proved to me in so many ways that he's not that guy. Because the time we started dating, that's the time I was arrested. What does the nigga want when I'm behind bars? But he stood. He flew all the way from the UK to come and see me. He would visit me to Chikurubi every two weeks. Who travels to Zimbabwe from the UK every two weeks?

SPEAKER_02 57:28

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 57:28

That guy did it for six months. And he visited you in prison. Yes. And it's like, I want to prove to you that I'm not here for anything. I don't want to gain anything. My spirit tells me you are for me. I've also been there, done that. I want to show you that it's not about what you have. Boss, before I was telling, I think there's something that you want. Because before then he wanted me to advertise his company. So I said, he just wants me to push his company. Right. Because 2020 he approached me with, oh, I've got a cleaning company. I want you to. I said, no, you need to be in Zimbabwe. Then 2022, now he now came, no, no, it's not about a cleaning company. I think I've got. And that time I was just coming from a serious heartbreak. I was still healing. Then when we met in 2022, he told me, no, besides advertising, I think something about you. So I didn't trust him. So we stayed together for a couple of months. Then I said, I have to return. I've got my court issues waiting for me back home. When I got back home, I got arrested. Then I was like, that's this is the end of me with that guy. I don't think he's going to follow. Who's going to follow someone who's being labeled a criminal, a convict? So when I was behind bars, I think two weeks later, oh, you have a visitor? I said, oh, is that? I said, your husband. I said, me, husband. From where? He said, just come and see your husband. He's saying, I'm her husband. Wow. So when I caught by the gate, I'm seeing him. He's looking so nice. So handsome. He's smelling very nice. What are you doing here? I said, I came for you. I told you I'll come for you. So he was there throughout my incarceration. He was even paying rent because that time I was still renting in Chissip T and my rent was very expensive. He literally worked for me, that guy. He worked for my children. So this is the guy that I will sell cars for now and say, listen, you deserve it. So people are always thinking, oh, she's taking care of her man. I have to. That guy was there for me in my worst. I don't even know. What I'm doing for him is little than what he did for me. If I could bring down the heavens from that, I would do. This is the guy that I would not want to lose. If I lose that guy, ah, we will all die. Me and that guy.

SPEAKER_02 59:41

Wow. Listen, this like they say, if he wanted to, he would. Because everything you said, wow. I have nothing else to add. Um, okay, so I'm gonna maybe just add one more question just because of time. And this is gonna be a question from a guy, um, uh a Zimbabwean guy who's based abroad in Australia. So he said, what has broken you in private that the public version of My Titi had to keep standing through?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:11

Come again.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:13

So, what is something that has happened in your private life that has really broken you, but you had to continue saving face, still coming together, still going to the events, still showing up as if everything is okay as my T.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:27

Okay, I'll go back to prison again because it was like a laughing talk. It was you know, a lot of my enemies celebrated. It was like it's a holiday. Wow. And people thought this is the end of my TT. And some people thought they have now taken over my position. So it was like this is the end. So at that time, I guess I was broken because I was I was I was useless, I was just in my little corner, it was a dark cloud for me and stuff like that. But I still smiled.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:07

In in that brokenness, I still smiled. There was never a day I cried. I think I cried once, but I was broken. What broke me really is not the prison, is the reason that got me in prison.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:22

And up to now, people don't really know why she was in prison. They just say stuff that they don't know. And it hurts me because I wasn't supposed to be in prison. But because someone just had to fix me for something that they know that, oh, she's not guilty. It was an agreement. Maybe I can just share with you because even up to now, it really breaks me. And sometimes I really want to face that person, though that person is really suffering now. Because me, nobody messes me and God leaves that person. It never happens. They will just, they will be just suffering. I don't know for some reason. My God is very jealous with me because I heard that he's suffering. And there's a time that he even wanted to come and apologize, but because I can't face him, he was a friend. He was a friend I used to advertise his cars for. He was a friend I used to sell cars to. So when I told him about this man who was in my life, we had stolen money which belonged to some women which I used to do rounds with, and I wanted to, you know, to pay back. And it was just a lot of money. I even sold my cars to the same guy. He started renting me a car because I sold cars, my own cars to him. So he started renting me a car, and I told him, I've got an issue. I need to settle about 10,000. But there is another friend of ours who's saying, I have to hold on to something as collateral. So I need to give this person collateral, but here I am, I have nothing now. Because the collateral they wanted is like a car. And that time I didn't have a car anymore. I had sold. I sold a lot of things. And then that guy said, it's fine, you can give this person my car, which I was renting.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:09

It was an agreement. Give her, she gives you the 10 grand, go pay up, pay me later. I gave the person, my other friend, the car. She gave me 10 grand. I paid my debt. It was okay. I then traveled to the UK hoping to pay back and get the car back from this girl to give back to my friend. He knew about this, that I gave his car as collateral. It's not like I just did this out of nowhere. We agreed. But what made him angry is I delayed paying because things were not just going the way they were supposed to go. I delayed the payment. I said, listen, I'm still looking for the money. I'm here in the UK, but this one used me for this show, didn't pay me. You know, things were just happening. You know, when things want to, things want to blow up. Munyama after munyama. I didn't get paid properly. I had a one-woman show whereby the show Zara Bakadi. But I got like a thousand instead of almost 20,000 that I was promised. And the guy is late now. Akanti Daro. Akafa. Wow. So now I'm trying to explain to them how will I get this 10,000 to give back to this one and you getting back your car? Just understand each other. Then I'll come and settle. You know what he did? He goes with the police to collect the car. Ah, no, no, Kakuntipa Motya wukutura motor. This one now gets angry. Coining 10,000. So now they both go to the police. They open dockets for me. And we are still talking on the phone. I'm like, okay, let me come. Let's talk about this matter. We are friends. I'm gonna pay. I'm gonna pay, guys. But guess what? They had already planned. I came here, boom, I got arrested. I asked him, you you what breaks me the more to say he didn't know. He did up to now he did he didn't know. I just took his car, I rented his car, he went to give it out for collateral. I looked at him in court. I said, Liberty, are you for real? Are you sure you didn't? I cried to you. I told you what is happening in my home. I confided in you. I sold cars to you. You even gave me people to give my cars to so they can give me money. It wasn't enough. But now you are saying you didn't know. If I think about that part, looking straight into his eyes in court, I she ran back with it. So that broke me. Not prison. But why would you lie? We are the can go. It's not young, Sakanda boy. So that really broke me. But Ndagara Majingo se kerira. But that guy, ah, he broke me. Yeah, he broke me. Though now he's broken, that one now is broken, but he broke me.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:17

Well, I hope that you get to a place of like healing, because of course you said it still hurts. It hurts.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:22

It hurts because anti dokero. Sometimes when I do things I admit, but it wasn't worth it. We were friends. We were real friends. Friend, if he was to come on life and talk about exactly what I told him, he too even broke down Musuanda Emuza Ma stories ang. Sha, you are going through a lot. What are you going to do? How are you going to face the crowd? We are planning together. Why? Why? You understand? Yeah. Yeah. So that it broke me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:03

It's been so insightful having this conversation.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:06

Yeah, it broke me. And considering that I made this company to be known. People would go and get cars from him. I was advertising for this guy. He was just supposed to be considerate. One car yay samurai. It wasn't even functioning. It was packed. So why? No. Uh you want every day. So why would you go and do that? The Vandanzi theft of trust. So that really hurt me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:53

Wow. Wow. If we could, we would carry on talking to my TT. But um I have to um move it forward now. Um it's just been very interesting because with you, I knew we would be able to touch on so many different things because you have touched many different uh industries and also dominated in them. Um you've also gone international, yeah, right? So I think this question, which is from the previous guest, Voltz, JT, uh, is very perfect for you. So I have a segment called Pass the Mic. Where the previous guest leaves a question for the next guest. Oh. Yeah. So as you know, Voltz was the previous guest, and his question for you is what do you think Zimbabwean artists need to do to go international?

SPEAKER_01 1:08:44

Yeah, that's a that's a very complicated. I don't know what they need to do, really.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:49

I just wish they could do something to go. I don't honestly, yeah, I don't know. Zimbabwean artists do something and go international. I don't know what they can do. We don't know what we don't know what you can do, but do something. Do something. I don't know why we are not recognized. Nigeria, they've already gone everywhere global. Even Americans are fighting to collaborate with them. But who wants to collaborate with Zimbabweans? Nobody. I don't know why. I don't know where we are licking it. I don't know. Me myself, I don't know. Because I I I want to go global with my music, but I don't know how. Maybe we're not doing the right thing, maybe we're not hitting the right spots, maybe the producers are not uh uh creating the right beats. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:40

You know, I don't think it's not creating the right beats because there are some that are very good. Yeah. I think I agree with you that honestly it's not very easy, it's not a one-size-fits-all answer. Um, but some of the conversations I've had with previous guests who are musicians themselves has been just about having the right type of beyond just all people to make things happen. Legislation. You know, sta a standard that everyone is like, hey, you know what? If we're going to be, you know, putting somebody out there, you need to ensure that you have a standard, like your music has got a right standard, a certain standard that's that is hitting, and uh your videos, etc. Um, but I do get it though. I don't think I don't think it's very easy to just answer.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:21

It's not easy. I think it's just by luck, honestly, because there are people who are really good. Like every time I look at Tammy, I'm a fan of little Tammy. Every time I look at him, I'm like, this is our Beyonce. Yeah. She puts she puts in the work. She's good. She's not trying, she's not a wannabe. Yeah, she is the you see Beyonce in her. You see, me, I every time I look at her, I'm like, this is Beyonce.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:49

But I just don't know. Maybe we are just meant to be here competing against each other.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:56

I think it's a matter of time. I think it's a matter of time that Zim people will get there, Zim artists will get there. But only time.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:02

But there are some who are already out there, but most of them they were not, they were not brought up from here. Like the Tinacies, there's that Sean Sean boy. Yeah. There's but all of them, they didn't grow up here.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:14

But Sean was actually with he was a guest.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:16

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_02 1:11:17

He's was raised here. What I've seen in sitting down and having conversations with those who've actually gone grown, gone beyond Zimbabwe, whatever that level of international fame is, right? Is there is a level and a standard at which they work. There is also principles in their brains. Yes. So maybe that's what it's uh that's one of the things. Now that you've answered that question, even though we leave it open-ended, you also get to leave your own past the mic question for the next guest.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:48

Maybe just ask the guest if the guest is okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:51

If they're okay. Yeah. That's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:54

Ask them, Are you okay?

SPEAKER_02 1:11:56

I like that.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:56

Yeah, and uh when when they answer, you ask them, Are you sure you're okay?

SPEAKER_02 1:12:00

Okay. Yeah. Are you okay? Yeah, from my TT, are you sure you're okay? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:05

I like that. Yeah. Very, very lovely. And uh, it's giving Zimbabwe is something I thought to also make a key part of each and every single one of these episodes. I have a it's giving Zimbabwe question for you. And it is, what's one expectation placed on Zimbabwean women you think that you think needs to be laughed at, questioned, or challenged?

SPEAKER_01 1:12:30

Come again.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:32

An expectation that is placed on Zimbabwean women that you're just like, uh-uh, no, why all this pressure? Like, why? Oh, we don't agree that you're make you're putting us in this box, or you're telling us that you expect us to be these people or to do this.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:45

Okay, moving on.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:47

Moving on.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:49

Yeah. Because like I I was telling you my story, I was telling you how people judge me because I've done this, I have fallen in and out of relationships. Ando stere. Uh-uh. You don't we don't need that. Yeah. Not in this century. No gare no pisa. I move. And sometimes moving on is not moving on to the with the next person. You can move on and be alone to have a fresh mind. Tanga kufungisa from one, tangaus gasa from one. So iso jojo buni kids a van. Neguda ku judja van. You're not supposed. Pressure. Marriage pressure. Yeah. Marriage pressure. You couldn't stick to. That's why you said a lot of women are not happy. Me, I know unhappy women when I see them. Fake smiles. Fake smiles. And it's so sad. Because me, I don't want to be happy outside. I want to be happy inside.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:04

Inside. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:05

But a lot of them are happy outside because they want to please people. They don't want people to judge them. They don't want people to laugh at them. They don't want people to say, oh, really? Is this what is what has been happening? They cover the West because they fear uh people's opinions, of which a person like me, I don't live for people. As long as you don't pay my rent, you don't sponsor my life. I don't need your opinion. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:33

Perfect.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:34

Perfect. That is a perfect place, a sure place for us to conclude this interview with the one and only Mighty T. I say the one and only because there's never been one like her before, and there will never be another one like her. Thank you so much, guys, for tuning in. Mighty T, people are already big fans of yours and they know where to find you. But in case there are some new people there who are listening or who are watching, can you just tell them where they can find you online?

SPEAKER_01 1:15:05

Okay, you can find me on Mighty's Dairies on Facebook. Um also Mighty's Dairies on Instagram, Mighty's Mighty T on YouTube, uh, Mighty T on TikTok. I think those are the four platforms you guys can find me. I'm not on Twitter, it's too brutal, and I'm very brutal as well. That's why I said I don't want to go there because I'll end up being very, very brutal. So I'm not on Twitter, though people say I've got accounts there. I am not on Twitter. I don't want to be on Twitter. I'm only found on those four platforms.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:42

Okay, so if you see a Mighty T uh account on Twitter, don't interact. It is not her. Thank you so much, guys, for tuning in and for supporting. As always, you can follow us at with Nyasha Michelle. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe. Particularly this episode, share it with everybody and uh tune in next week for another episode with yet another ChangeMaker in Zimbabwe. I'll see you guys later.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:13

Bye.