By Shelton Chiyangwa
MY TRIBUTE TO ANNE NHIRA aka VIMBAI JARI(STUDIO 263)
*I met Anne in 2008-2009 here in South Africa Port Elizabeth township called Zwide.* She came with her Mainini vaiita zvekutengesa madhoiri here in PE,and she (Vimbai) was selling ma CD. News that Vimbai Jari was now staying in Zwide spread so fast, particularly because she was staying at a house where many Zimbabwean women stayed and sleeping in one big room.
Many people would go to the house and look for her to greet, take photos whilst others would go and laugh at her kuti celeb akutengesa ma dhoiri. I never got the chance to see her pese pandaienda kunomutsvagawo and see her or maybe also take pics….
One day at a local internet cafe I finally saw her busy with on the computer just as i got in. I was so happy and went to her, not knowing that I was disturbing greeted her with the stage name. She gave me a very very cold shoulder and said, It’s “Anne not that”. Sensing humiliation in front of other people there I almost wanted to respond with a fair share,but because the owner of the place was a friend, I needed to respect his clients.
I then moved to my own computer and got busy hangu. Just as she was leaving I then asked for her number,and this time I said Anne and she gladly wrote the number on a piece of paper. That was the beggining of our friendship.
Soon after she left I told my friend(the owner of the cafe) that do you know this girl is a celeb in Zimbabwe. Everyone in that Internet Cafe said I was lying you know. We ended up going to google and they were all in awe, and started asking many questions as to what she was doing in Zwide in all the places when she was suppose to be in JHB city of Gold or even Cape Town persuing her carrier in film.
This was the moment I realized that I surely needed to talk to her and find out ko chiiko chakambonyatsoitika to studio 263.
Obviously because I had the number it was very easy to organize our meeting over a drink. Anne was a no nonsense girl and very principled. As we arrived at Zanzibar( a place she later worked for about two days) she was very clear and reminded me that this is strictly a meet and greet and nothing more.
She informed me that she had been an object of ridicule from many people vaimuona achitengesa ma CD and all. She also further informed that it was through the mature discussions we had over the phone that qualified me for this meeting but I should not expect anything more than that.
On this day she poured out her heart out narrating how life had been very bad for her. She started crying as she touched on studio 263 and the film industry in Zimbabwe. She mentioned how female actors are manipulated and abused by the high and mighty as well as well film producers which then led her to leave the rented apartment in Maboureign as well the soap.
She mentioned many names as perpetrators and how she feels for young girls who are targeted as prey in the industry.
I was super touched and I vowed that I would do everything in my means to help her. I have always had a passion to uplift the lives of people and through the good relations I had with people I started looking for opportunities for her.
The first job she took up as a waitress was at the same restaurant we had our first meeting(Thanks to Simbarashe Kanengoni my best man).
She never lasted for more than two days if am not mistaken.Zimbabweans in Central PE flooded Zanzibar kungonomuseka havo kuti celeb vazotambura, from TV to running with trays.
She told me kuti akusiya basa and I was disappointed because mabasa ainetsa ka but she told me she was ok continuing with ma CD hake than to continue as a ln object of ridicule from fellow Zimbabweans. In all this she would be very positive and never showed that she was troubled by what was happening.
The next opportunity for her was through my elder at ZAOGA FIF Church who was doing Herbalife. I told him about Vimbai and he invited us to one of their presentations.
He said that since she was famous in Zim,he would want to make sure that she becomes the brand ambassador of Herbalife when it launches in Zim.
Anne had decided however that she wants to push her hustle in SA, akangozvinetera so and told me that she would not take the offer coz she was not ready just yet to go back Home.
I didn’t stop knocking doors for her. I went back to my internet cafe friend uya, coz I knew he was connected. In a few days he had connected us with Mhlobo Wenene FM a local Xhosa radio station but kwaidiwa english voice overs for some commercial adverts.
Anne was very punctual and very determined. We agreed to meet at the studios at the SABC in PE. I got there late, and she was not happy at all as I was the one talking to the guys there.
The deal didn’t materialize due to some language issues with station so again it was back to hustles.
After a few weeks or so, my boss at Coca Cola distribution Warehouse(Camera Room) in Perseverance where I was working told he needed a lady to work at the shop at his house in Kabega Park. Mainini vangu Nyasha was also working there saka it was easy to organize the job for her.
This was a stepping stone that saw her starting to fly high. Anne was a hard worker, she would not mind double shifts and weekends. She would tell me that she wants to raise money for a business she wants to venture in.
We had the same boss saka we became a very great team. She was there for so many months working very hard. She was very generous.
So many times waingoona atumira airtime hake kana lunch whenever she is off. I remember when she said we should meet at Greenacres, she had just got paid mari yakawanda so she wanted to buy some clothes and cosmetics.
We had our lunch at hungry lion😂 and she informed me to order anything I want. She said she was that girl who doesn’t always let guys pay the bill. She was very full of humour and yet very serious too.
We went to church together. She joined the hosting team where she was a pride of everyone at ZAOGA FIF Living Waters(Zwide) assembly. Vimbai was very committed and humble. You would never tell that she was a celebrity.
Having worked for some months, she raised wat was enough for her business venture she then left for JHB. We kept in touch zvakanyanya. Anne became a big sister to me.
After I got married she also gave me some goodies when I went for introductions at my in-laws in Harare. She was one person who would never stop appreciating someone akamubatsira.
She would not take no for an answer. JHB opened so much opportunities for her. She would inform me of all progress happening there. One day she called me and said she was flying to PE and she wants us to meet. We met at a very upmarket Lodge where she was booked and it was very clear kuti apa zvakufaya manje.
We took time talking about where God had placed her and how grateful she was. We laughed, she cried and we ate on this day. She told me about the beauty spar business she had started and how she plans empower ladies at church whome she had worked with and many others. Indeed many were offered opportunities in this business and earned well.
Oh did I mention that when I left the Lodge ndakumhanyira kubasa she gave me some good amount of money and said mukoma this is to say thank you for everything.
*Am saddened and devastated with your passing mhani Anne, particularly through a gruesome way yakadaro. You were a happy soul and very humble.* *You were a prayerful person and believed in yourself. You went through a lot but you would always say that you are happy because God has allowed you to taste all sides of life so that you uplift his Godliness.
You have become a part of the sad statistics of the victims of crime in this country where you worked and offered so many opportunities to South Africans and our people. Haaaa zvinorwadza chokwadi.*
*_Rest in Power my sister, my friend. My condolences to Nhira family and friends,as well as the entire nation.Thank you for allowing me to be a friend during that very short time. I learnt a lot from you Vimbai.Heaven has gained and we have lost a wonderful person. We will forever cherish all the memories._*😭😭😭😭😭
Rest in Peace Anne Nhira!!
*©️Shelton Chiyangwa aka TheGeneral*
