Radio station pranks ZBC on Tezvara mistake

ZVISHAVANE radio station - YaFM - frustrated ZBC staffers on Wednesday morning when they carried out a prank call to their offices pretending to be Internet sensation - Tezvara and complaining about the misuse of his picture.

This was after Tezvara (real name Peter Irimayi Mudavanhu)'s image that was initially used on an Internet meme to poke fun at him, was mistakenly used during news hour on Monday. The fake picture used on ZBC's Independence footage featured Tezvara standing next to Mbuya Nehanda instead of Sekuru Kaguvi.

Following the mistake which ZBC was lambasted for, YaFM's breakfast crew, for their 'Prank Hour', decided to join in on the fun by ringing the national broadcaster.

The creative presenters Davis "Diva Dollar" Mugadza and Fungai "Fufi" Mawada conducted the prank live during Wednesday's breakfast show. Mugadza impersonated Tezvara while Fufi impersonated Tezvara's wife.

After getting through to the broadcaster, Fufi (Tezvara's wife) requested to be put through to the ZBC newsroom after which an unsuspecting person from their switchboard transferred her. After establishing she was now talking to those in the newsroom, Tezvara's wife introduced herself and asked the reporter to hold on for her husband - Tezvara - whom she handed the phone.

Upon getting the receiver, Tezvara started berating the person on the other line for using his picture on news hour.

Speaking in Shona, Tezvara said: "Handisi kudakara ndezvemakandiita. Pakatanga pabuda pikicha yangu ichitenderera paFacebook. Ndokubva ndazoiwona ichibuda panhau ndakamira paduze pambuya Nehanda."

The ZBC staffer then interjected asking Tezvara to hold on so that he could hand him over to another person, probably one of the bosses, who would assist him. Tezvara refused saying: "Ndo holder on sei ini ndichida kukuitai sue. Motoita zvekuseka neni muchiti ndini aTezvara." At this juncture, Tezvara's "wife" butted in exclaiming: "Vaudzeyi daddy vaudzeyi."

The ZBC staffer tried to calm him down by saying just a second to which Tezvara responded: "Second yekuita sei . . . imi pamakandiisa panhau makaita second here?" . . . Ndirikusekwa neanhu, he!! Ndezvemuhloboni izvozvo? Wakadzidza here?"

When the call was eventually given to another staffer, Tezvara seemed to cool down.

After some pleasantries, the ZBC staffer pointed out that they made a gross mistake.

"Mistake yechii imi muri national broadcaster," asked Tezvara.

The ZBC staffer then told Tezvara they had since apologised to the nation: "Taka kumbira ruregerero kunyika yese nezuro," to which "Tezvara" responded: "Mokumbira ruregerero nyika muchi siya inini inini…. ndichisekwa. Handisikukwanisa kana kutenga madomasi kana mabomore."

The hapless staffer responded: "De mukatapawo number tozokwanisa kukufonerayai tinyatsoita formal apology. Taitoshaya kuti tokuwanaiwo sei," he said requesting for Tezvara's number.

After realising they had accomplished their mission, Diva laughed and informed the ZBC staffer the call was a prank.

The two minute clip was recorded by the YAFM breakfast team and is available on the station's Facebook page as well as on SoundCloud.

Tezvara hogged the limelight last year after making a rare appearance at his daughter's wedding clad in khaki shorts, a move which saw him being criticised by many for his dressing. As a result, meme's of him were created, including the one used by ZBCtv where his image was used to replace that of Sekuru Kaguvi, leaving him posing with Mbuya Nehanda.