BBA: Who is packing tonight?
By Shamiso Yikoniko
Zimbabwe once again becomes a tale of a country divided as Africa awaits to see whom the country will save tonight at the Big Brother eviction show.
Both Hakeem Mandaza and Pokello Nare are up for eviction and the big question is: who is going to be sent packing tonight?
Though Big Brother managed to separate the Zimbabwean contenders by placing them in different houses to avoid a repeat of the Roki and Maneta fiasco, the country has been divided from the day the two entered the house.
Evidence points to the votes most likely to be split between Hakeem and Pokello since most of the countries which saved Pokello when she was up for eviction are the ones which saved Hakeem also.
Following his grand entrance in the house, Hakeem has proved to be tactful, witty and a ladies’ man. Currently getting cosy with the Zambian Cleo, Hakeem might be guaranteed of the Zambian vote since he is playing the role of their in-law in the house.
Hakeem is an imposing character who has won the hearts of Zimbabweans and Africa at large, judging by the votes he amassed the first time he was nominated for the chopping board, with five African countries voting for him.
In the history of Zimbabwe’s participation in the Big Brother house, no other participant has divided public opinion more than current housemate and eviction candidate Pokello.
Though not as controversial as season seven’s Roki and Maneta, not as ill-tempered and opinionated as season six’s Vimbai Mutinhiri or not as docile as some of the earlier contestants, for some reason Nare seems to have courted the ire of nation.
The debate has gotten to the extent that there is a segment of the country’s populace questioning her integrity, value in the house for the nation while others have even started questioning the whole premise behind the show itself.
The reason, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out, is the infamous bedroom tape she starred in some light years ago. The video placed her in the public limelight, from the minute it hit streets, albeit for a second or two.
It is also the same video that sealed the fading career of her boyfriend and co-star Desmond “Stunner” Chideme.
The Eviction Show is at 7pm and every viewer is anxious to see what happens. Pokello, on the other hand, may get a vote from Ghana as fellow Ghanaian housemate Elikeem fancies her. However, the Zimbabwean pair will have to rely on fans across Africa to save them, having survived once each.
Pokello is depicted as the dancing queen playing the game safe with the ladies’ man Elikeem. Some are of the view that Hakeem must focus more on the prize money rather than his relationship with Cleo.
But with Africa having voted to keep Pokello in the house during her first nomination by eight country votes and with Hakeem having six countries rallying behind him, the two might just survive.
What makes this week’s voting difficult for the Zimbabwean housemates is that the country will have to choose either Pokello or Hakeem. He may just have an edge in the popularity stakes. The two join Annabel from Kenya, Bolt from Sierra Leone, Namibia’s Dillish and the Malawian pair, Natasha and Maria.
Which way will Africa vote?
