Most people wait to hear what others are saying about a certain topic before they speak up, but there are a few people in every society who seem to continuously churn out an opinion about everything – or most things – without needing to first check with a neighbour.
Incidentally, the more opinionated people are, the more entertaining their posts. Some people generate light with their opinion, others just a lot of heat.
Here, in no particular order, is the Zimbo Jam list of the most opinionated Zimbabweans we know on social media; heat makers and light bearers alike…
Mgcini is a poet, photographer and playwright. Just as his work addresses some very sensitive issues, so do his tweets. He does not shy away from sending a jab in the direction of even the most feared trolls.
Shallow thinking Mr Gutu. Very disappointed by this gutter pettiness. https://t.co/g6aoo9XbKQ
— Mgcini Nyoni (@MgciniNyoni) May 25, 2016
Does support from US ambassador make #ThisFlag not Zimbabwean? https://t.co/W5MzH0gsAy
— Mgcini Nyoni (@MgciniNyoni) May 18, 2016
Prof is stooping disappointingly low. https://t.co/bh3JpsIgkq
— Mgcini Nyoni (@MgciniNyoni) May 15, 2016
Someone once said to us, ‘Never pick a fight with Petina on Facebook. She will cut you down to size.’ We won’t disagree with this. Ms Gappah has a way with words, ask all critics who have read her books, and is a lawyer by training – so she knows how to structure a good argument. She posts mainly on Facebook, and we can’t share those as they are all to friends, but here’s something from Twitter…
Hard to believe Trevor Ncube and Jonathan Moyo are men with children and all. I know SEVERAL toddlers who are more evolved than they are ?
— Petina Gappah (@VascoDaGappah) May 30, 2016
There was a time when the social media profiles belonging to one Evan Mawarire were calm reflections of a man who was a passionate pastor and endearing family man. Then one day, a few months ago that all changed, and almost overnight, Mawarire became one of the loudest and most respected voices of dissent for a generation. When he appeared on ZiFM Stereo for an interview a few weeks ago, you could feel the anger bubbling up inside him. Here is one man who dares voice opinions that many remain silent about.
And now we go full swing with #UndengeMustGo petition. Watch the update here. #ThisFlag will not be silenced.https://t.co/txtzNBxsZA
— #ThisFlag (@PastorEvanLive) June 17, 2016
Chinamasa says move 2 plastic money yet not a single GOVT institution has a swipe machine. You don’t believe your own solutions #ThisFlag
— #ThisFlag (@PastorEvanLive) June 12, 2016
In bank queues, in supermarkets, in homes, in pubs & in hospitals, talk is getting LOUDER & BOLDER! Citizens hve had enough #ThisFlag Handei
— #ThisFlag (@PastorEvanLive) June 2, 2016
Joe Black, Joe Black, Joe Black. When most people tweet they worry about how their message will be received by others and moderate the language they use so as not to offend others. Joe Ruzvidzo, as he is known to his family, does not seem be deterred by these social niceties. He let’s it rip left, right and centre. We’ve seen him knock down arguments and tear convictiosn apart with one word retorts. If you post something and Joe thinks it’s rubbish, he’ll tell you straight. Don’t take it personally, he does it for everybody.
I’m always clear about how T20 cricket isn’t actually “cricket” https://t.co/rggvNJAqa2
— Joe Black (@joeblackzw) June 19, 2016
She must STFU https://t.co/GzuMUkVZFT
— Joe Black (@joeblackzw) June 18, 2016
Damn Fari, you’ve been married for an hour and you’ve already got the bedroom eyes on lock #OPW #OurPerfectWeddingpic.twitter.com/LCPbGSmcDn
— Joe Black (@joeblackzw) June 19, 2016
There are people who seem like they have a hundred hours in their day. Kwirirayi is one of these odd beings. He is often simultaneously engaged in conversations on Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook and who knows what else. While he is engaged in a bitter discussion about Arsenal FC on Twitter, he is chatting with another group of people on Facebook – about relationships – and is busy obliterting shades of ignorance on the Arts Journalists WhatsApp group. He is a radio presenter, a podcaster and the head honcho at the news website, 3 Men on a Boat which often gets the news up before outfits like the Herald and Newsday that have newsrooms full of journalists and social media editors.
We don’t play Zim music in our own country, why would we expect them to do that https://t.co/SxVbq4Al16
— larry kwirirayi (@kwirirayi) June 19, 2016
The evidence is there. Whether we like it or not. Cricket was a ‘white’ sport taht developed ‘white’ players. https://t.co/rCKomLSeLF
— larry kwirirayi (@kwirirayi) June 18, 2016
If Larry has a hundred hours in his day, Carl has a thousand. We don’t know anyone else who posts so much stuff on social media – save for Jonathan Moyo (see below). Carl does all this while at the same time holding comedy shows, cooking, running a hotel, carrying out training on social media. The thing with Carl’s opinions though is that you can never be sure if he’s really serious because they are always laced with humour.
this other chick is fighting against Fungisayi? there’s no way she is winning this battle I mean FUNGISAYI is a double VIRAL artist!!!!
— #BreakTheWorldRecord (@CarlJoshuaNcube) June 18, 2016
when I hear Zimbabweans greeting each other these days, you could swear you were at an ECONOMIC FUNERAL
— #BreakTheWorldRecord (@CarlJoshuaNcube) June 16, 2016
Dr Magaisa is a lawyer and political strategist. He is also a prolific blogger and contributor to various publications, including The Standard, The Herald and Daily News. He has opinions about many things, especially where governance issues are concerned.
I the folks up there are just clueless right now. They have no idea what to do. Yet they know the problem. https://t.co/bNPtjPxvnF
— Alex T Magaisa (@Wamagaisa) June 19, 2016
Often forgotten because of the widespread but mistaken belief that history begins in 1890. https://t.co/R09XeI2JLo
— Alex T Magaisa (@Wamagaisa) June 19, 2016
Zenzele is one of the most outspoken Zimbabweans when it comes to language equality, government corruption and development issues. He is passionate about media is a frequent commentator on international and local news.
There are more that 2 million Zimbabwean who can speak fluent Ndebele.Are u telling none of then is talented enough.@ZiFMStereo
— zenzele (@zenzele) June 17, 2016
I hear Kasukuwere is Launching a “ZANUPF town “today in Bulawayo.UMvutshwa.I hear it will hvecits own local authority.Abenze sibone.
— zenzele (@zenzele) June 16, 2016
What happened to our Mega deals that we signed with Russia, China, Belarus and Japan.
— zenzele (@zenzele) June 15, 2016
You never need to wonder what’s on this newsman’s mind, because he will tell you. He was recently engaged in a nasty war of tweets with Professor Jonathan Moyo and is very vocal about the things he believes.
Just don’t start me. I do marathons not sprints. And I always win ask @ProfJNMoyo https://t.co/n1ttrHU3NA
— Trevor Ncube (@TrevorNcube) June 19, 2016
I know both of you like my little siblings. I know your crude ambitions. I await the sucker punch https://t.co/RQjfdv39mb
— Trevor Ncube (@TrevorNcube) June 19, 2016
On radio, Ruvheneko is known as the fearless interviewer who pushes the boundaries. We have heard her nearly make grown men cry in the studio as she grills them. Online, she has openly challenged her father, Dr David Parirenyatwa’s health ministry. She is not afraid to state her mind and this irks some people, as would be expected in a prim and proper culture such as ours.
So much wrong with our health system but I applaud good when it’s good. #longwaytogo ?REALLY LONG @DrDParirenyatwahttps://t.co/agM1OpgquG
— Ruvheneko ZiFM (@RuvhenekoP) May 6, 2016
I have a lot of appreciation for Alicia Keys but why is an American headlining the UEFA Champions League final? pic.twitter.com/9JrEUUdm3i
— Ruvheneko ZiFM (@RuvhenekoP) May 28, 2016
The Minister of Higher Education was a late comer to Twitter, but did he make up for this with sheer volume of posts! We know no one who so easily spews out cynism, sarcasm and raw wit.
One Stanley Mudawarim (@StanSinyo) recently tweeted, “Impossible to have a 1 on 1 with the good Prof without guns blazing,” to which Moyo responded, “I’m a tweeter and not a fighter.” You can just imagine him sitting there, giggling to himself as he types some of these things.
Your foot has no legacy! https://t.co/Qx5DMRKD48
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) May 26, 2016
My passion is in songwriting & music arranging & production. I took songwriting courses as an undergraduate at USC! https://t.co/QsD6QADjZW
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) June 17, 2016
Zimbabwe has never seen anyone flaunt their money the way ‘Sir’ Wicknell Chivayo does. We thought Phillip Chiyangwa was flamboyant and then came a new generation of flamboyance… the social media-driven type. Yes, most of Sir Wicknell’s opinions are about how great and how rich he is, but they are still his. He scoffs at those who insult and tease him and with a straight face claims he pulled out a few thousands dollars from his dresser drawer for pocket money…
