By Kennedy Nyavaya
Award-winning broadcaster Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa’s career has been a see-saw affair in which she tasted the beauty of triumph and horror of strife in equal proportion yet she never ceases to amaze.
Last week, in one of her highest achievements this year, the 31-year-old director of ceremonies stunned the nation when she hosted the prestigious Youth Connekt Africa 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda where 91 nationalities gathered for this year’s edition.
In an interview with Standard Style, Ruvheneko recalled her rugged path to success, tracking how she has fallen countless times, but kept on pressing for her goals.
“I’ve been through the mill. I have experienced extreme highs and equally low lows and I have questioned myself, doubted my future, resented people and the fire in me has dimmed so many times,” she said.
Known for a hard lining stance in her interviews, particularly with politicians, on air, she has courted trouble frequently, risked jobs as well as life in the process in what she described as “learning curves, not mistakes.”
“I have risked my job security, company’s security and personal security when I made certain decisions in the past, but they were all learning curves, not mistakes so I will never have to learn those lessons again,” she said.
“I never give up and I’m not sure if that makes me distinctly unique but it is a big part of how I keep going on my personal journey.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Meanwhile, attended by youth ministers, business leaders, ambassadors, activists among other young influential along with Rwandese President Paul Kagame, Ruvheneko described moderating the summit ahead of the continent’s vast talent as beyond personal honour.
“It was not my honour, but an honour to my country. For all our faults and flaws, it made me so happy to stand on front of 91 nationalities and raise our flag,” she said.
Netizens have been on overdrive with compliments and criticism over the past week, for Ruvheneko this has been a moment of selecting good advice and flushing out negative energy.
“The audience who appreciates my work, Lord knows I appreciate them too, from the bottom of my heart,” she said.
“Some of it [criticism] is constructive, so I listen, but I don’t internalise it all; only the parts that build me. I cannot please everyone and it took a while for me to be okay with that. I’m good now. C’est la vie!”
