HARARE - A consortium of local businessmen says it is giving Zimbabwe's Big Brother Africa housemate Munyaradzi Chidzonga US$300,000 as a consolation prize.

The consortium, led by flamboyant business tycoon Phillip Chiyangwa and chairman of National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board David Chapfika said 24-year-old Munya had represented Zimbabwe well, and had espoused unparalleled patriotism in the reality TV show broadcast for 91 days. Held up in a tight competition right up to the wire, Nigerian Uti beat Munya, his closest rival who was widely expected to win, by eight votes to seven.

Uti walked away with US$200,000 cash while Munya, who survived eviction a record nine times, is expected to retun home with a paltry US$1,000.
The consortium told a news conference on Monday that it had set up a compensatory fund that will see Munya receiving a cool US$300,000, a figure US$100,000 higher than the winner. Chiyangwa alleged Big Brother Africa was rigged. "How do you find in a week's time the results have reversed, just like that? That unfairness is what we sought to address to you," Chiyangwa told reporters. “We have opened a bank account with CBZ and created a board of trustees for Munya because we believe he was cheated and has been traumatised by the outcome. Where there is no hope we must invent hope, thus Pinnacle Holdings does not mind giving Munya a piece of property or even a house to compensate for the traumatic experience.”

Describing Munya as "a son of the soil", Chapfika said he was heartbroken Munya's dream had been shattered. "You could tell the youngster was expecting to be announced winner," Chapfika said. "The crowd, the audience outside was calling Munya, Munya, Munya, Munya. When IT (IK)asked who is the winner everybody without exception was saying Munya, Munya, Munya, Munya, Munya, including people all over Africa who were watching that programme. I felt it was unfair even though I did not watch the bulk of the programme. But given what the audience who had been following him were saying, I have no doubt that Munya was the choice. Munya was Africa's choice. The whole voting and verification process was not transparent as it defeated the spirit of youth empowerment." Chapfika said the programme's rigging demoralised youths.