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Do you believe in luck?
Some people do but others simply concur with William Shakespeare’s famous narrative that says, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” One such person who has had Lady Luck smiling on him or has had greatness thrust upon his life is Wilson Muchina, one of this year’s Castle Tankard winners of a brand new Land Rover Defender.
His life sounds like a fairytale because he has been lucky not once but three times in the last two years.
“I don’t know how it happens, but I always win. Last year, I won three cellphones, early this year I won US$1 000 and this last Saturday I won a car,” said the soft-spoken Muchina.
For a man born on December, 25 the day Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is understandable for him to believe that he was blessed. Instead of attributing his winning ways to Lady Luck, he chooses to look to the heavens and give praise to God.
The new motorist, who does odd jobs to get by or is simply referred to as “mukoronyera”, said winning was in his veins. Muchina, who lives in a one-room rented lodgings in the bustling Mbare suburb, said his gambling skills have transformed his life overnight. “I am not employed; I spend my time at ‘Pamushika-shika’ (small markets) where I do anything to pocket a few dollars.
On a good day I can have as much as US$20 but most of the time I get between US$4 and US$6,” he said.
Muchina said he was one of the dreaded “Makoronyera’’ at Mbare Musika, because of his dexterity when it comes to hustling for piece jobs. And now that he has won big he plans on taking it easy.
Despite this latest development Muchina said he wanted to keep his simple lifestyle, sell the car and build a house for his children. Ironicallyh, while many people spent a fortune buying beer hoping that they will land one of the coveted prizes, Muchina did not buy a single pint, but merely picked up bottle caps at drinking holes dotted around Mbare since he was a man on a mission.
He did not pick small but went for the big score, and by the time the competition closed he had submitted more than 140 entries.
Narrating the events of the big day, Muchina, a father of one, said he just felt the urge to be at Borrowdale Racecourse on the day of the event.
“I just felt this was my day. When I arrived at the venue my hope vanished because there were so many people. The entries were so many so they just put them on the jumping castle. I couldn’t believe it when my name was called. I was overwhelmed by emotion,” he said.
While Muchina was jubilating at the venue, his wife Faith Majuru was following proceedings on television.
“It was the happiest moment of my life. I cried, prayed and ululated. There was a mini party with friends and relatives here. My wish is that he sells the car and buys a place for us to stay. Chokwadi Mwari vakapindura,” she said.
However, his luck spell has been met with mixed feelings by some of his peers, who strongly feel that Muchina consults traditional healers for lucky charms. “Handiende kun’anga ini, zvangu zvinongoitikawo. Hazvidi makona kana mishonga izvi,” he said. He is now waiting patiently for the organisers of the draw to complete the paperwork so that he can get the car. Unfortunately, he does not have a driver’s licence.
“I am grateful to the organisers, they said they will call me to collect the car. Sometimes I think I am dreaming because it is too good to be true,” he said. Muchina’s windfall will not stop him from gambling and it has since inspired several people to take up betting.
Even his landlord, Victor Mawire, has since joined the bandwagon and when Saturday Lifestyle visited his home, the old man was busy scratching Lotto scratch cards.
Muchina was born on December 25 1981 in Buhera and did his education there. He came to Harare as a novice in 2000 in the hope of finding greener pastures but the pastures turned out to be not so green before resorting to the terminus for sustenance.
Online Reporter