Muzhingi, who is preparing for life after athletics, has acquired a house in Tynwald suburb with the cash gift from President Robert Mugabe for winning the Comrades Marathon.
Muzhingi was presented with US$50 000 by President Mugabe who also splashed the same amount to Big Brother Africa winner Wendall Parson last month. Another BBA housemate Vimbai Mutinhiri got US$10 000 .
Muzhingi already owns two houses in Chitungwiza bought with earnings from the Comrades Marathon prize money won in 2009 and 2010. “I have since bought another 11-roomed house in Tynwald suburb. The house cost me US$55 000 and is part of the money from the Comrades Marathon cash purse and the President’s (Mugabe) gift,” said Muzhingi.
“I also bought a Nissan Hard body, 3.0 double cab vehicle for US$18 000. I know we are going to meet one day (with President Mugabe) and he is going to ask me what I did with the money that he gave me,” Muzhingi said.
Muzhingi’s wife Erina Magwaza is the happiest person under the sun after the family managed to buy their third property.She could not hide her joy when our news crew visited the couple at their Chitungwiza home on Tuesday.
“You know this sport of athletics will one day come to an end for Stephen and since my husband does not have formal work, we have to invest in properties so that we will be able to send our children to school. Stephen still has six or more years of running,” she said.
The two were clear that theywere preparing for a new life in Tynwald and are ready to kiss goodbye to life in Chitungwiza.“We will be leaving this place as soon as possible. The houses we have here have become too small for our property, so we need a spacious home,” Erina said.
Muzhingi also clinched a car deal with automobile manufacturer VW South Africa and is given a courtesy vehicle off the production line after every four months. However, the vehicle remains in South Africa since it has not been registered in Zimbabwe.
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“You know I had signed a lucrative deal to even use the cars here at home, but the police are always behind me so I have to enjoy fruits of my sweat when I go to South Africa. As I speak the car is in South Africa,” Muzhingi said.
The athlete said he was also still pursuing a diplomatic passport offered by the government.
“I have done all the procedures that I was asked to do, by now I think the passport is out. I am told the guys were looking for me when the President met Team Zimbabwe that had just come back from the All Africa Games that were held in Mozambique,” he added.
Team Zimbabwe was given US$100 000 cash by Mugabe with swimming pool queen Kirsty Coventry being the greatest beneficiary as she pocketed US$32 000 cash after chalking four gold medals and a silver.
A tragedy hit the Muzhingi family when his mother Siyai (66) died last Thursday at her rural home in Gutu. She was buried last weekend.
Siyai’s death left Muzhingi without any of his parents since his father died when he was still in Grade Two leaving behind six children. Muzhingi said it was disheartening to lose a parent.
“At least she should have seen some of the things that the government of this country has done for me,” he said. Recently Muzhingi got another car from the President.
