Wendall Wins Big Brother Africa

The two pocketed a cool US$ 200 000 each in prize money for their efforts while the losing finalists got $ 10 00 each.

Vimbai Mutinhiri, the daughter of the former army brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri and his former wife Tracy, was the other Zimbabwean representative. She was voted out of the show last week.

With the adrenalin reaching gigantic proportions on Sunday night on the last Big Brother Africa show, presenter, Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa popularly known as “IK” called on Wendall and Karen and asked them to hold hands and get closer before he announced them as the two winners.

The two Big Brother contestants were not aware that this year there were two winners.

Immediately after the announcement the mothers of the two triumphant housemates jumped onto the stage to celebrate the success of their children.

As this was happening in Johannesburg, Harare was set alight. In Wendall’s home area of Greendale,  loud cheers and cars horns could be head blasting around the neighbourhood.

At the Rhodesville shopping Centre at Liquids nightclub a special party was held for Wendall. The party was attended by both whites and blacks as they celebrated in unison what was probably a unifying moment for Zimbabweans.

The social network sites such as face book and twitter were buzzing as many Zimbabweans celebrated with the Parsons.

“How about that a white Zimbo wins it for us, congrats Wendall, let’s celebrate him,” wrote Macdonald Lewanika on his face book page just moments after the announcement of the winners.

Wrote ZBC Radio DJ, Terence Mapurisana, “Surpsingly…a good number of us pretended they weren’t watching Big Brother Amplified or they cared less but judging by the number of comments coming through on FB wall, they were watching kabisira. Weldone Wendall. U did Zim proud.”

The Mail newspaper entertainment writer, Tarisai Jangara said, “Wendal is the man…….congrats, we are really proud of you.”

For his part, SABC journalist Thulasizwe Simelane who spent two years working in Zimbabwe wrote on facebook, “Shoo! At least a Zimbabwean won this BBA thingy majika (which I really don’t get)…the powers that be in Harare won’t have to compensate their representative withinsane amounts of money…like that Munya guy!”

Zenzele Ndebele wrote on his twitter page that, “South Africans had lined up parties for luclay but sorry you have to donate to Wendall.”

Last year Zimbabwe was represented in the Big Big Brother Africa show by Munyaradzi Chidzonga who failed to land the prize on the last hurdle. He was however rewarded for his efforts with a US$300 000 bounty by President Robert Mugabe and a group of businessmen.

In recent times, President Mugabe has often invited to the State House Zimbabweans that would have excelled in their spheres of life and reward them either with a diplomatic passport or money. It will however be interesting to see if he will do the same for Wendall, a white boy who has done Zimbabwe proud.
Mugabe has done it before with Kirsty Covent ry the country’s Olympic swimming champion.