By Bridget Mananavire
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba, whose face and voice has become a common feature on local and foreign television stations as well as online media in the past weeks, has become a butt of jokes with people making fun of her makeup.
The joking has gotten to a point where there is a “Chigumba Challenge” as Zimbabweans criticise her for poor makeup skills, particularly during announcement of results.
However, not everyone is happy with the said challenge as they feel it is meant to bring down Chigumba.
Zimbabweans, both male and female, comedians and non-comedians joined the #ChigumbaChallenge where they have been posting videos and pictures of themselves in atrociously done makeup and shining faces, imitating Chigumba.
However, most of the jokes have exaggerated oiling of the face, wrongly drawn eyebrows with bright eye shadow, making the makeup look horrible.
Some have even created a Chigumba starter pack with cooking oil, and crayons.
In other pictures that have been trending on social media, a picture of Chigumba is just put side by side with that of a bottle of cooking oil.
Some, however, could not find the comical side of the challenge, quickly coming to her defence and accusing people of being unfair to her.
“It’s sickening that it’s other women mocking and taking pleasure from abusing Justice Chigumba.
“Instead of women guarding each other’s honour today they chose to give us permission to ridicule their looks. Justice Chigumba keep your head up. Head Bowed #ChigumbaChallenge,” Zanu PF former strong member and now apologist Acie Lumumba wrote on his Twitter account.
He was, however, called out for showing double standards as he himself participated in the #ChamisaChallenge which people say was meant to demean the presidential aspirant.
Some are, however, seeing the challenge as a point of inspiration to rise in their professions as Chigumba had done.
“ChigumbaChallenge, get that law degree, work hard, be a high court judge,” wrote one Twitter user.
But ultimately people have continued with the “joke”, saying it was meant to be jest based on the bad makeup.
“No problem with #ChigumbaChallenge because we were mean to Rita Makarau, Thuli Madonsela, saka ndikoko (that is that).
“We call ED a croc, Nelson a baby, Tshinga Dube got trolled, so now hamude kuti tiwanzire madzimai, haiwa (you don’t want us to make fun of women, get away), wrote another Twitter user. Daily News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HNiuHDWl0s
