WilLiam Masvinu once believed taking part in a contest to choose the “ugliest man” in Zimbabwe was his only ticket out of poverty. He had made the Mr Ugly title his own since he took part in the competition for the first time in 2012. However, five years later, the heavily built father of three remains a common feature at Harare’s Mbare Msika where he is a tout.
By Kennedy Nyavaya
His peers taunt him every day, not because he is ugly, but because he has nothing to show for the titles that saw him grab international headlines over the years.
“Poverty is the reason why I entered this competition because if I was rich, I would not have agreed to parade myself as an ugly person in front of masses like that,” he said.
Masvinu, who spends most of his time at the popular Harare market fending for his family, says he was influenced by Michael Gondo, now his manager, to try his luck by entering the pageant.
“I never thought that my appearance would be anything out of the ordinary, but when I was encouraged to enter, I did just to try it out as I seriously needed money,” he recalled.
There is no doubt that Masvinu’s popularity soared after winning the Mr Ugly titles, but sadly, he has nothing to show for it.
In fact, he believes the titles have invited scorn. Some of his critics, however, believe he squandered the prize money.
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“People laugh at me all the time because my life has not changed a bit since this competition started,” Masvinu lamented.
“People think I misuse the money I get from the competitions but I am just being used by the organisers who reap profits from the pageants.”
He claims the organiser of the pageant, David “Apama Styles” Machowa, owes him money for winning the Mr Ugly titles.
Machowa recently banned Masvinu from taking part in the pageant for alleged indiscipline.
“People are asking if I spent all the money alone and I am now ashamed to face them because I have been duped like a small boy,” the 43-year-old said.
“When I get home, my wife chides me thinking I spent the prize money on prostitutes and alcohol.
“I am trying to work and feed my family but the organisers of Mr Ugly are sabotaging my efforts.”
He said he has had enough of Machowa, whom he accuses of turning his life into hell.
“I would not encourage anyone to enter the contest because the organiser is a fraudster and always tries to find a way to evade paying what he owes,” he added.
Masvinu was supposed to join a group of winners that are scheduled to compete in an African version of the event in South Africa in 2018.
“If it is with another sponsor, I am willing to participate and even go beyond Zimbabwe’s borders instead of dealing with this crook,” he charged.
“The way they banned me is illegal, they need to get another uglier person to remove me and that way, I will admit defeat.”
The Mr Ugly competition started off as a local town contest in 2009 before Machowa, who is also a dancer and comedian, decided to make it national in 2012.
However, over the years it has failed to attract more people because of unattractive prizes for the winners.
This year only five contestants took part in the competition and according to Masvinu’s camp, the organisers had to beg them to take part.
