Online Reporter
CONGRATULATIONS Thando Tshuma and Vusi Mkandla on your marriage. Marriage is a sacred union, and we sincerely wish you joy, strength, and longevity in your journey together. As journalists based in Bulawayo, we hold no ill will toward you. In fact, we respect your courage, your adventurous spirit, and your commitment to each other and your cause.
However, your recent remarks, publicly declaring that Bulawayo journalists are not welcome at your wedding and accusing us of only chasing viral stories, compel us to respond, not out of malice, but out of a duty to set the record straight and offer some perspective.
Before your cycling journey went viral, you were not a story. That’s not a slight, it’s a reality. Journalism, like any profession, operates within the bounds of relevance, timing, and public interest. You became a story when your journey captured the imagination of the public. That’s when the media took notice. That’s how it works. No journalist worth their salt ignores a compelling story – but we also don’t chase shadows.
If you felt ignored before the fame, the onus was on you to reach out. Many great stories begin with a simple WhatsApp text, a press release, or a phone call. You had a compelling narrative – two young Zimbabweans cycling across Africa, defying odds, inspiring youth. But you chose to share it with the world on your own terms, which is your right. Just as it is our right to cover stories when they become newsworthy.
Now, you have chosen to publicly alienate the very people who could help shape your legacy. That’s not wise. Fame is fleeting. Today’s viral sensation is tomorrow’s forgotten hashtag. But journalists? We remain. We are there when the applause fades. We are there when the cracks begin to show. And we are there when the story turns – because it always does.
History is littered with public figures who thought they could go it alone, only to regret burning bridges with the media. Think of Britney Spears, who once lashed out at paparazzi, only to later acknowledge the role media played in both her rise and fall. Or Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who now rely on carefully curated media appearances after years of battling the press. Even locally, figures like Roki learnt the hard way that when the media turns cold, the silence can be deafening.
You say journalists only ask about your “challenges” and ‘preparations”. But those are the questions that matter. That’s where the human story lies. That’s what inspires others. If you want fluff, stick to vlogs. If you want legacy, engage with the press.
Let us also offer a word of advice: separate your marriage from your cycling brand. The two are not the same. Mixing personal and professional identities is a recipe for disaster. Ask any celebrity couple who tried to build an empire on love alone – when the relationship falters, the brand collapses.
We have no desire to attend your wedding – that is your private celebration, and we respect that boundary. But we do genuinely wish you well and hope your union flourishes. Your recent snub of local journalists won’t deter us from covering your journey. You are Zimbabwean, you are one of us, and your story still matters. In fact, the Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub has already assigned a dedicated reporter to follow your progress. One day, we hope you will look back and realise that journalists were never your adversaries. We were simply doing our job, telling stories that matter, including yours.
Respectfully,
Stanford Chiwanga on behalf of Bulawayo journalists
