Chiwenga mocks graduates, hails Chinotimba

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga last Friday mocked graduates, saying some of them have more than two degrees but had never been on a plane, while he hailed comical Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba.

In a speech read on his behalf by Lands minister Perrance Shiri at Harare City Library during the launch of a book titled Masasi aChinoz - highlighting Chinotimba's jokes and authored by Chenjerai Mhondera, Chiwenga literally attacked graduates for not coming up with initiatives to empower themselves the way the legislator did by launching the book.

Of late, Chinotimba has become a darling of many owing to his jocular, crazy and strange but philosophical statements in and outside Parliament, which has seen him being appointed ambassador of happiness last year by government through the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare ministry.

"Some of you have two or three degrees and have never seen the inside of an aeroplane, but our ambassador of happiness (Chinotimba) is flying to Dubai because of being happy and making people around him happy as well," Chiwenga said.

"I am delighted...with this rare and special occasion, the first of its kind, the launching of a book that affords us the opportunity to laugh regardless of the situation one may be in," he said.

Chiwenga praised Chinotimba for proudly showcasing his talent as a comedian, saying the legislator is now reaping benefits of his talent.

"You have had from the minister of Labour and Social Welfare that next month they are going to spend a week in Dubai, rubbing shoulders with other people like him (Honourable Chinotimba) our ambassador of happiness around the world and the Head of State of that country. It's amazing.

"Despite everything, Chinotimba has the people of his constituency at heart, the widows, the orphans and those with disabilities, let us all borrow a leaf from our ambassador of happiness and give to the needy."

Mhondera, who worked with Chinotimba in coming up with the book, concurred with Chiwenga saying the legislator is one of the hardest working MPs in the country, hence honouring him through the book.

"This is our first volume and we will release the second volume of the book later. Chinotimba is a comic character but he has worked tirelessly to develop his constituency and for that reason he deserves to be honoured.

"We have appreciated him for being a hardworking parliamentarian despite his humorous character," Mhondera said.

The 36-page book includes a few jokes created by Chinotimba himself.

"We started collecting the jokes from 2015 to come up with this book. The target market for the book includes basically everyone. Remember, it is said laughter is the best medicine ever discovered and this wise saying has stood the test of time," Mhondera said.

Apart from the jokes, the book also profiles Chinotimba.

"The book gives a detailed account of Chinotimba. This is meant to help the reader in understanding who Chinotimba or Chinoz is," he said.

In the book, Mhondera notes that jokes meant to demean Chinotimba have been a blessing in disguise for the jocular parliamentarian.

"With Chinoz, it is now common...the same jokes have promoted Chinoz from zero to hero and he has become a favourite of many," reads part of the book.