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Zodwa’s Facebook profile picture as she makes it clear that the man is hers

Lifestyle Writers
The inexorable march of time ushers in altered perceptions. Things that would have been considered totally unacceptable have now become ordinary.
The only time a man could have confidently let known his intentions to marry an older woman and elicit congratulations would have been when he was keeping the extended family intact by inheriting a widow.
But now marrying a cougar is a cause for celebration, as long as the two parties concerned are happy. When businesswoman Zodwa Mkandla (41) used Facebook to announce her engagement to toy-boy lover and fellow party animal Genius Kadungure (30) last weekend, the congratulations poured in.

Only one livid hater seemed to feel some unexplained bitterness towards the couple. But presumably this hater was immediately blocked as the nasty message disappeared and the venomous voice did not reappear to sour the jubilation.

But there is a tiny green-eyed monster that seems to inhabit the insides of the fans who all claim to absolutely love the strangers who enter their lives via the media. That same creature also seems to be very alive in the hearts of those who would lay the claim to being close friends of the people living in the fabulous lane.

Just like tabloids in Hollywood are always trying to find the snakes in the paradise of golden couples like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as well as Jay Z and Beyonce, there are already a few murmurs that this is one union that is either headed for disaster or will be a case of keeping up appearances.

But because they expect the two to host a wedding that will be the talk of the town, no one wants to risk missing out on an invite so the mutterers are not about to have their names splashed in the papers. Previously known as Zodwa Mtunzi from a previous marriage, the Harare socialite has since resorted to her maiden name probably in preparation of the Ginimbi development.

“Zodwa is the one who is pushing for this. And I think she will either have to accept that a wedding ring is not a magic pill for faithfulness on his part, or it will be over before it even starts,” claimed a friend of one of the happy pair.

The friend buttressed the speculative position by pointing out the sequence of events surrounding the announcement.
On August 1 Zodwa staked her claim on her man on his wall: “Love you murume wangu. May God protect you all the days of our lives.” The 11 likes and one comment on that post did not include any reaction from the object of this affectionate declaration.

Then Ginimbi, as he calls himself on his page, went on to post pictures of himself aboard a flight on 5 August. Then from 6 August it was all about him shopping alone near Clichy in France until his departure from that country.

On August 9 Zodwa Mkandla then posted that she was with Ginimbi Kadungure at Ca’ dei Dogi Venice, effectively announcing that the couple was now together in Europe. But the man did not appear to be exactly over the moon, if his share is anything to go by.

On August 10 from Venezia San Marco he wrote, “Time wasted all the way to Italy no club not having fun please help need to go beck kuharare/dubai But flights are full.” Some friends started ribbing him about missing usual haunts back home and he appeared to be totally in agreement.

Then Zodwa came into the conversation with a bang by posting a picture of herself displaying her huge ring saying, “Ask him if he is still bored am sure he is the happiest man now.” A local jeweller said that the ring looks like it might have cost a few thousands.

The not so subtle announcement appeared to have been lost on Kadungure’s friends who continued talking about the pleasure spots that the dude was missing out on. Frustrated at such obtuseness, Zodwa then went on to post the same picture with the words that would leave no doubt even in the minds of the most dense as to what she was on about: “And I said yes.” And the light bulb went on in the minds of the hordes of friend who then obliged with enough congratulatory messages to satisfy even Kim Kardashian’s insatiable appetite for attention.

Eventually Ginimbi joined the party by writing, “After all have been said finally I engaged to her bye Italy” which presumably means that after all that has been said he engaged her in Italy, thereby  confirming the lady’s announcement. Then to cap it all, Zodwa has changed her profile picture to replace her image with a mosaic showing her and Ginimbi. On her profile, she even now refers herself as “Mai Ginimbi!” But the gentleman has not reciprocated as he flaunts his sexy red coupe, which some have taken to signify the real love of his life. Whether this really proves anything except that the woman is the one who likes publicity for their relationship more, only the two would know. Ginizo, as the couple has become known, is now an official pair. Another friend says that the engagement was a publicity stunt so that it appears as though the couple is romantic and highly sophisticated.

“They had already decided to get married and anyway Zodwa was already referring to Genius as her husband. So it was just a stunt. In fact I know that she had gone to Italy to shop for wedding items,” says the source.

Another friend says maybe Genius who has had to swallow the bitter pill that the son he looked after for 11 years belonged to another man needs the security of getting hitched to a woman who has her own means.

“At least that way he knows that she is not after his money, but for love,” the friend suggested. He also said that an older woman would have the maturity to deal with Genius’ acknowledged perchance for skirt chasing.

The couple has previously set the rumour mill churning when they got into a physical spat over Ginimbi’s alleged peccadilloes.
It has been reported that he has been beaten up by husbands of women he has compromised, allegations he does not dispute:

“It happens a lot of times and it has become normal. I have never dated someone’s wife intentionally though,” he has been quoted as having said in local media.
Rumours say that the wedding is slotted to take place in Domboshava at the massive house-cum-office that Ginimbi has been constructing. The date has not been announced and the friends speculate that the couple may be waiting for the conclusion of Ginimbi’s legal case in which he stands accused of swindling thousands of dollars.

Efforts to speak to the couple who are believed to be back in the country were unsuccessful.