TODAY, October 10, the late and inimitable socialite Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure would have turned 37.
Without doubt, this was not going to be an ordinary Sunday.
One way or the other, Ginimbi was oxymoronically going to paint the town red
with his famous “all-white” party.
Remember, the self-styled king of bling had a first-rate
record of throwing epic parties he previously hosted in South Africa, Botswana,
Dubai and Australia where he would fly his high-profile buddies to celebrate.
A year ago, the businessman and socialite hosted a
strictly-by-invitation explosive party.
Not even the Covid-19 pandemic could stop him!
The razzmatazz-filled birthday party was graced by top
personalities, celebrities and businesspeople, and created waves on social
media platforms.
Expensive champagne was popped while United States dollars
were carelessly thrown around like confetti.
Sadly, this was to be Ginimbi’s last major event.
Rather, it proved to be his swansong.
The effervescent socialite would die close to a month later
— November 8 to be precise — in a horrific car accident that also claimed the
lives of three other passengers in the car.
Ever since his untimely demise, fellow socialites are
struggling to take over the throne.
Not that there isn’t any activity, but the “wow” factor
that characterised every event with Ginimbi’s touch is no longer there.
The man was indeed a pleasure engine.
Scrolling through social media, one is bound to bump into
personalities showing off their lavish lifestyles.
But whether they are posting images of their fancy cars or
sharing videos of a night out where champagne bottles are being popped, it now
just seems ordinary.
If one is to jump into the comment section on some of the
posts, the name Ginimbi is always popping up and comparisons are flying left,
right and centre. It comes as no
surprise that close to a year after his death, the late Genius Kadungure is
still being mentioned when the rich and famous are up for discussion.
He seemed to have mastered and perfected the art of
flaunting his wealth without provoking the public.
His life could easily fit for a Hollywood script.
From importing international exotic strippers to throwing
some of the biggest parties that could be the talk of the town for days on end,
his playboy vibe was just off the charts.
He often bragged that he was bringing international
standards to the local party scene and standards in his nightclub, Dreams, were
easy testimony.
His social media popularity was immense, with a following
of over 600k on Instagram, which was basically his platform of choice.
At one point, he was hosting live competitions on his
Instagram handle where ladies from various parts of the world battled it out to
win cash prizes which could go up to as much as US$1 000. While there are many
individuals who might have been wealthier than him, there is no doubt that in
the public eye, or rather in social circles, Ginimbi was the ultimate “mbinga”
in street lexicon.
Many have been wondering if ever we are going to find a
replacement for the late businessman and socialite.
Or, simply put, do we have a “new mbinga” in town?
At present, there is no straight answer to this question.
However, some of the names that have been thrown in the fray each time there is
such talk include the likes of Chief J, Mike Chimombe, Chimpa, Scott and Kit
Kat, among other big spenders.
“It is always going to be difficult to fill up Ginimbi’s
space. The guy was simply in a league of his own. We will always remember and
respect him,” said one of Ginimbi’s associates.
“He was like our pulse. We still meet, but not as often as
we did during his time. He was a hardworking man and equally a free spirit. He
could easily balance the two, work and play, which is always a challenge for
many. I guess this is one of the many factors that made him unique.”
Although these individuals have the cash to splash and are
well known for settling huge tabs during outings, they are not as loud as their
deceased counterpart.
They do not want personal attention for reasons best known
to them. But some are family men, which sort of restricts their playboy
adventures or forces them to censor their actions.
Also, they fear that living an extravagant lifestyle
attracts unnecessary attention from authorities. Prophet Passion Java, who
regularly traded blows with Ginimbi on social media as they battled for
“supremacy”, could easily have filled the void if he was ‘about that life’.
While he is not shy of showing off his affluence, his
church connections restrict him.
There is little or no chance of the people witnessing him
drinking champagne or partying with strippers, which was a staple in Ginimbi’s
life. The list of big spenders with fancy lifestyles is endless, but these guys
are just not on the same level of ‘crazy’ that he was on.
Flamboyant businessman Phillip Chiyangwa, who inspired
Ginimbi in many ways, is another character that could be a social media
sensation.
However, age and his business and political portfolios seem
to hold him back.
Others are willing, but unable to fill the gap.
The late Ginimbi would jestingly say: “They lack
something”, making reference to cash.
There are personalities based outside the country who have
even been accused of hiring fancy cars just to pretend like they are living
large.
Someone even shared a video showcasing a fleet of
top-of-the-range vehicles while claiming that he was in his garage, but it
later turned out that he was actually in a car dealership showroom.
In fact, these so-called “fake mbingas” have flooded social
media. It is now difficult to believe
most of the guys as they are selling us dummies.
For now, we wait to see if we will get someone with the
daring personality, opulence and hilarity that can match or even surpass
Ginimbi’s character. Sunday Mail
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