No joy for man who was crowned ‘Mr Ugly’

By Richmore Tera

William Masvinu, the Epworth man who became a celebrity overnight after being crowned Mr Ugly Harare, is a disappointed man.

While his female counterparts earn their living from lucrative endorsements by fashion designers, blue chip companies as well as advertising agencies, this is not the case with Masvinu whose instant fame has not brought him anything tangible apart from US$100 prize money and free hotel accommodation.

A visit to Mbare, where Masvinu works as a porter, commonly referred to in street lingo as a “gweja”, revealed a heart-rending picture of a man who is struggling to make ends meet.

“I am expecting to benefit a lot from being Mr Ugly and I hope that this will go a long way in improving my lifestyle. I won US$100 plus a voucher to spend a night with my wife at a hotel in Harare, but this is not enough.

“I am struggling to make ends meet. I am going to redeem the vouchers for cash, which I will use at home. Those who wish to contact me can do so on 0734 510 483,” he said. While he might have earned fame overnight, fortune has eluded him. His story is a typical one of fame without fortune!

“Chipo chawakapiwa naMwari haufanire kuchinyara, unofanirwa kuchishandisa (Why should I be ashamed of my God-given gift? Rather, I should put it to good use). To other people who are like me, ugliness is something you can’t run away from. I did not choose to be ugly and that alone makes me special in a different way.

“I am appealing to promoters, musicians and companies to consider engaging my services during their shows and other events where I can feature because I strongly feel that the title of Mr Ugly goes hand in hand with these sectors. This will help me earn something for myself and my family,” said the soft-spoken Masvinu (38).

Asked how he got to participate in the contest, Masvinu confessed that he was in the dark until Michael Gundo, who is now his manager, told him about it.

This is what Gundo had to say:

“I frequent City Sports Bar for a drink with my friends and I got wind that the management were calling on ugly men to register for a Mr Ugly contest. I then approached a number of people whom I told about the competition because it just caught my fancy but some laughed it off.

“However, others told me of William (Masvinu) whom they said was popularly known by his nickname (Masvingo) at Mbare Musika. I told him about the contest and to my surprise he did not mind trying his luck.

“That is how he eventually became Mr Ugly,” Gundo explained. Masvinu went on to beat several other contenders for the crown of Mr Ugly and one, Freddy Mwando, is reportedly  shed tears after being beaten to the title.

The newly crowned Mr Ugly said he was expecting to go places with his crown: “Kana chipo chavepo hachichinje (One cannot change reality). I am expecting to go places and I am ready to take part in the national contest because I heard that I will be going to Bulawayo and eventually South Africa to compete with others,” he said.

The father of one, who lives with wife Alice in Epworth, could not hide his other passion — soccer — saying he is a diehard Dynamos fan.

“I like our current coach (Callisto Pasuwa). He knows what he is doing and the players are a compact unit and I hope that they maintain that form,” Masvinu, who was donning a Dynamos jersey, said.

In order to avoid gazes from the public, Masvinu arrived for the interview in a car with tinted windows belonging to his manager.