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.
