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Mukudzei Chingwere
Herald Reporter
It was supposed to be normal Church day like has always been the case with him attending the weekly mass at the Roman Catholic Church’s New Highfield Parish in Highfield, Harare.
For 14-year-old Christian Kapikinyu, Form One dropout owing to his parents’ inability to raise the requisite fees and related expenses for him to continue with his education, church had become an escape sanctuary where he could conveniently soak away his sorrows.
A dream return to school, an avenue that would foster a wish to grow into a career professional and fend for his three sibling and retired parents was as good as dead in the water. He had resigned to joining the ranks of the hopeless.
But situations, no matter how hard or cast in stone as they may appear, do change in lightning speed.
The usual church services that Christian and the rest of his mates at New Highfield parish were accustomed to was not usual on Sunday April 2, 2023.
It was Palm Sunday!
A very special day in the world of Christianity for it marks Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem days before the escalation of his trials and tribulations culminating in his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection.
Indeed, this is no ordinary Sunday on the calendar of a Christian.
But that was not enough, Christian and the rest of congregants at New Highfield parish, have annually commemorated this special day.
This year’s event was even more special.
The church had the honour to host and be joined in prayer by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, himself a devout Catholic, and his wife Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga.
For Christian, the occasion got even more special when he was chosen to be among one of the servers for Father Clifford Nhetekwa on the day.
Specifically, he was tasked to individually deliver a fruit tree seedling the church had gifted the Vice President.
“It was an enormous occasion for me,” the teenager told The Herald.
“I was going to deliver the tree as assigned but I then set myself a target that as soon as I delivered the tree, I wanted to steal a hug from the VP and brag about it to my colleagues.
“Just that hug I intended to steal, would have made my day,” he said.
But as fate would have it, Christian would not get the opportunity to steal the hug, instead, the Vice President leaned towards the teenager and warmly embraced him, followed it up with what seemed to be an exchange of brief pleasantries.
“What is your name,” asked VP Chiwenga per Christian’s account who coincidentally is a namesake of one of the VP’s sons.
“From today onwards, your school fees will be paid by your mother (Colonel Chiwenga) until you finish your education wherever it takes you,” said VP Chiwenga gesturing to his wife.
Just like that, Christian’s long cherished dream was rekindled.
Unbeknown to the VP was the sad fact that the teenager had sadly dropped out of school and from this brief exchange he walked away with a fighting chance to make it big in life.
Education is a key pillar in Government’s empowerment plan and journey towards an empowered upper middle-income economy as envisioned by President Mnangagwa.
Under the Second Republic introduced 5.0 curriculum, Government is going big on result-based education which should have a bearing on the economy as well as producing all rounded graduates.
Government is also fostering a web-wide approach that is aimed at making sure that all children get an opportunity to education of sufficient quality. It is against this background that the Basic Education Assistance Model (BEAM) through which Government pays fees for the less privileged, has been progressively and continuously expanded.
The continuous expansion is aimed at eventually, for a start, making primary education free where parents and guardians do not pay a cent with all costs catered for by central Government.
This is informed by President Mnangagwa’s belief in education being one of the single assets with which a nation can prosper and the down trodden escaping poverty.
With President Mnangagwa having configured Government’s engagement to an “All Government all stakeholders” approach where all players are expected to play their part towards the fulfilment of Government projects, it is no surprise that VP Chiwenga — over and above his official contribution — is also playing a part in his private space.
A PHD holder over and a couple of Masters degrees under his wing, VP Chiwenga just like President Mnangagwa is also a firm believer in the provision of education.
In an interview with The Herald, days after the church encounter, Christian’s parents were still at a loss of words over the generosity extended to them by VP Chiwenga.
They told this publication that Christian was supposed to have started his secondary education with his age mates in January but sadly missed out because they failed to raise the requisite fees and other needs like uniforms.
Going forward, the plan was now to try and have him enrol at Highfield High 2 for the second term but again, there was no guarantee this would have succeeded.
But now the grateful parents said he is now set for boarding school at Mount Saint Mary’s High School in Hwedza all at the expense of the Vice President’s family.
“There is no word to describe the appreciation we have as a family to the Vice President,” Mr Peter Kapikinyu-Christian’s father told this publication. I am now a pensioner. I used to work at Alro Shipping Private Limited, but I left after reaching the retirement age so I couldn’t get the money for him to start school with others.
“I have already been contacted by the VP’s office on modalities of having Christian back in school as per the VP’s promise.
“It is every parent’s dream to send their children to school so that they have a bright future but if we fail it hurts. Because of our Vice President, my son will now go to a boarding school, Father Nhetekwa told us that Christian can be enrolled at Mount Saint Mary’s High School and we agreed.
“I pray the good Lord bless Vice President Chiwenga, his family, and the country’s leadership for their efforts in changing people’s lives,” said Mr Kapikinyu.
As Mr Kapikinyu spoke to our news crew, his wife and mother to Christian Ms Norita Jani, broke down in tears quipping that the family’s lost hope had been revived.
In the end, Christian did not steal an embrace from the Vice President but got a warm embrace as well as well more than he had bargained for.
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