Vimbai Mutinhiri

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Vimbai Mutinhiri
Vimbai mutinhiri, Vimbai Katherine Mutinhiri, Big Brother Africa
BornVimbai Katherine Mutinhiri
(1987-02-18) February 18, 1987 (age 37)
Harare
EducationBachelor of Social Science Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (University of Cape Town)
Occupation
  • Model
  • Television Personality
  • Musician
  • Actress.
Years active2001 to present
Known forBig Brother Africa participant
Parent(s)Ambrose Mutinhiri (father), Tracy Mutinhiri (mother)


Vimbai Mutinhiri is a Zimbabwean model, television personality, actress, musician and a former Big Brother Africa housemate. She started her career at the tender age of 14. She has hosted and co-hosted several events including the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) in 2013. She has since managed to scope several endorsement deals spicing up her popularity on the African continent. In March 2018 after her father, Retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri retired from the Zanu-PF political party, Vimbai reportedly applauded him.

Background

Vimbai Katherine Mutinhiri was born on 18 February 1987, being the last of four children of Ambrose Mutinhiri and Tracy Mutinhiri in Harare. Her father was an ambassador and this would see her being a resident in different countries.[1] Her mother attributed that she was an exceptional student that would see her skipping the first grade after graduating from pre-school.[1] From abroad, the family relocated home and Vimbai enrolled at Arundel School and Peterhouse Girls.[2]

On completing her high school education, Vimbai proceeded to the University of Cape Town and would graduate with a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.[3] In an interview, Mutinhiri mentioned that she has a spouse. She also mentioned that she had a fiance who died.[4]

Rise To Stardom

Vimbai's early works would see her featured in a short film titled Who's in Charge, that would be featured during the Zimbabwe International Film Festival in 2001.[2]

Whilst in South Africa, Vimbai became a full-time professional model while being a full-time student at the University of Cape Town. She became Miss Global Face of Bio Oil after doing several campaigns for the company.[3] She also did several campaigns for MTV Base, Estee Launder and Zain.[5] She has appeared on the cover pages of South African most read magazines such as True Love and Drum.[3] This all worked to her advantage as she began to gain international recognition. In Zimbabwe she was at one time a model of the Zimbabwe Fashion Week.[5]

In 2011, she was selected to participate in the Big Brother Amplified reality show together with Wendall Parson.[2] She was however evicted on the 84th day out of the 91st-day event.


Television Personality

On 11 June 2012, Vimbai was selected to co-host Star Gist (a daily showbiz entertainment programme), which premièred on Africa Magic Entertainment Channel on MultiChoice's DStv on .[6] Prior to that, she did commercials for MTN in South Africa. She is the face of Castle Milk Stout in Cameroon. She was also the spokesperson and/or face of Nokia after the launch of the Nokia Lumia 520 in August 2013.[7]

In 2013, she co-hosted the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards which were held in Lagos, Nigeria together with IK Osakioduwa of Nigeria.[2] In February 2014, it was reported that Mutinhiri had clinched a deal to co-host the television reality show of Jim Iyke, a Nollywood actor called Jim Iyke: Unscripted.[8]

In 2016, Vimbai turned down a chance to co-host the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards with IK Osakioduwa as she wanted to pave way for new talent. As a result, Minnie Dhlamini of South Africa was chosen.[9]

Vimbai also presented on Tecno Own The Stage which is a karaoke competition which she co-hosted with Uti Wachukwu. She left Star Gist after 4 years and had reportedly finished producing her own reality travel series called Miss Vimbai Travels.[4]

Music career

In 2011, Vimbai released her first album titled Vimbai shortly after she was evicted from the Big Brother competition.[2] The album is believed to have flopped. She has attributed this to the fact that she was reluctant to pursue music all because she has a busy schedule.[2]

Support for her father

In March 2018, when Retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri quit the Zanu-PF political part and his parliamentary positions to lead newly formed National Patriotic Front. Vimbai was reported to have applauded him and posted on her Instagram the below read:

As I was growing up, my dad would always repeat one of his favorite quotes to me: ‘ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country — John F Kennedy’. Baba is passionate about service, and I have always been amazed at how he is always ready to report for duty. All those years were in preparation for this time, where God has summoned him to make himself available to serve in the highest office of our nation Zimbabwe. And with your passion to serve you responded just as Prophet Isaiah, ‘Here I am, Send me’! May God fill you with His glory for your obedience, may He fortify you, protect you and supply all your needs as you seek to lift up our nation in Jesus’ name. May your life be a testimony of the things that God and God alone can do for His people. I love you dearly. Iwe neni tine basa!.[10]


Trivia

  • Vimbai had her first kiss when she was 12.[4]

Videos

Discover Luxe Ep 2 Highlights
Discover Luxe Ep 1 Highlights
VIMBAI on @ home with Joselyn Dumas
Vimbai Talks about Ghana, Stargist and more
Miss Vimbai Takes on Rocking in Heels...
Woman of the Soil
Vimbai features in brand new Nokia Lumia 520 Campaign
TECNO OWN THE STAGE EPISODE 6



References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Richmore Tera, Mother denies Vimbai has identity crisis, Nehanda Radio, Published: 9 Mar 2011, Retrieved: 10 Jul 2014
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Garikai Mazara, Vimbai makes history as she co-hosts ‘African Oscars’, Nehanda Radio, Published: 3 Mar 2013, Retrieved: 10 Jul 2014
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Vimbai Mutinhiri, Best African Models, Retrieved: 10 Jul 2014
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Vimbai Mutinhiri opens up about Everything as she Covers Blanck Lite | Talks Losing her Fiancé, Moving on from “StarGist” & More, Bella Naija, published: June 10, 2016, retrieved: June 29, 2016,
  5. 5.0 5.1 Vimbai Mutinhiri, Vimbai.com, Retrieved: 10 Jul 2014
  6. Vimbai Mutinhiri to host DStv show, New Zimbabwe, Published: 10 Jun 2012, Retrieved: 10 Jul 2014
  7. Brenda Phiri, Mutinhiri new face for Nokia Lumia 520, The Herald, Published: 27 Aug 2013, Retrieved: 10 Jul 2014
  8. Vimbai Mutinhiri Lands Nollywood Reality Show role, Zimbabwe 24-7, Published: 15 Feb 2014, Retrieved: 10 Jul 2014
  9. Minnie replaces Vimbai at AMVCAS,Chronicle, published: March 4, 2016, retrieved: June 29, 2016
  10. [https://news.pindula.co.zw/2018/03/08/vimbai-mutinhiri-praises-for-quitting-zanu-pf-to-lead-npf/ Vimbai Mutinhiri Praises Dad For Quitting Zanu-PF To Lead NPF, PindulaNews, Published:9 March 2018 , Retrieved: 9 March 2018

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