He has become a celebrity almost overnight and is now gracing high profile functions as an emcee. Richard Matimba of the “Zvirikumbofamba sei?” fame is riding on a wave of unprecedented popularity thanks to his “Zim-Asset” joke which has gone viral on WhatsApp as well as on other social media platforms.
Matimba, popularly known as Uncle Ritchie, sent the audiences into fits of laughter including the Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere who was among the guests at the “Green Concert” held over the weekend at the 7 Arts Theatre.
Uncle Ritchie recited the one and half hour long joke “Wotoshaya kuti zvinhu zvacho zvirikumbofamba sei” and delighted the audience that attended the charity benefit concert headlined by the South African songstress Zahara.
“Unotoona vamwe vachitogerwa zuda muma butcher, vamwe vachitoseka, wotonzwa vamwe vachitochema wotonoona kuti pamwe vanhu vacho vanenge vakatosiyana siyana wotonzwa vanhu vachitoita ruzha, vamwe vachitoita zvinhu zvekuti unotoshaya kuti vanhu varikutombozvifambisa sei , unototadza kutozvinzwisisa kutoti unootona vanhu vachitomhanya vamwe vachitongoramba vakamira wotoshaya kuti zvese vanenge vachida kuti zviitwe sei . . . wotoona kuti vanhu vese pavari vanotoshaya mumiririri anotovamiririra kuitira kuti pavanozo discusser muParliament vanenge vachito discusser nenyaya dzeyi . . . zvinhu zvacho hazvisitombonzwisisiki . . . vamwe vanotoshandisa Vicks kuti flue yavo iite kakudzikira . . . ”
The monologue is made up of pure humorous nonsense like people getting their heads clean shaven at the butchery and really serious issues of the need for serious grassroots based representation in Parliament.
Uncle Ritchie plays the part of a person who is seeing it all through a kaleidoscope that is constantly shaken so he never gets what is going on.
As if it is not enough to be such a master wordsmith, the man also knows how to use his limbs and shake his bones. He also stole the thunder from Zahara when he danced fit to beat the biblical King David on stage during the show.
Clad in an all-white outfit, Uncle Ritchie effortless worked the stage showing his nimble-footed moves and drawing wild applause from the crowd.
Recently, Uncle Ritchie was featured on ZBCTV’s prime time news bulletin where he said he was a creative artist.
He is so passionate about comedy that he pokes his fans with at least one hilarious offering on a weekly basis.
But his most widely ciruclated joke to date has been the “Zim-Asset” one but he says it was his own way of simplifying complex issues into a simple discussion for easy comprehension.
Besides comedy, Uncle Ritchie is also a recording artiste with one gospel album up his sleeves.
He is also a the holder of Diploma in Education from Mutare Teachers’ Collegespecialising in music and Shona. He currently imparts his music skills to learners at Harare schools such as The Dominican Convent and David Livingstone among other.
No doubt about it, Zimbabwe’s comedy landscape may just have produced its best artist yet. This is definitely the one to watch over the next few months.
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| Uncle Ritchie shows some fancy footwork on stage at the Green Concert held over the weekend at 7 Arts Theatre (picture by Innocent Makawa) |
Uncle Ritchie recited the one and half hour long joke “Wotoshaya kuti zvinhu zvacho zvirikumbofamba sei” and delighted the audience that attended the charity benefit concert headlined by the South African songstress Zahara.
“Unotoona vamwe vachitogerwa zuda muma butcher, vamwe vachitoseka, wotonzwa vamwe vachitochema wotonoona kuti pamwe vanhu vacho vanenge vakatosiyana siyana wotonzwa vanhu vachitoita ruzha, vamwe vachitoita zvinhu zvekuti unotoshaya kuti vanhu varikutombozvifambisa sei , unototadza kutozvinzwisisa kutoti unootona vanhu vachitomhanya vamwe vachitongoramba vakamira wotoshaya kuti zvese vanenge vachida kuti zviitwe sei . . . wotoona kuti vanhu vese pavari vanotoshaya mumiririri anotovamiririra kuitira kuti pavanozo discusser muParliament vanenge vachito discusser nenyaya dzeyi . . . zvinhu zvacho hazvisitombonzwisisiki . . . vamwe vanotoshandisa Vicks kuti flue yavo iite kakudzikira . . . ”
The monologue is made up of pure humorous nonsense like people getting their heads clean shaven at the butchery and really serious issues of the need for serious grassroots based representation in Parliament.
Uncle Ritchie plays the part of a person who is seeing it all through a kaleidoscope that is constantly shaken so he never gets what is going on.
As if it is not enough to be such a master wordsmith, the man also knows how to use his limbs and shake his bones. He also stole the thunder from Zahara when he danced fit to beat the biblical King David on stage during the show.
Clad in an all-white outfit, Uncle Ritchie effortless worked the stage showing his nimble-footed moves and drawing wild applause from the crowd.
Recently, Uncle Ritchie was featured on ZBCTV’s prime time news bulletin where he said he was a creative artist.
He is so passionate about comedy that he pokes his fans with at least one hilarious offering on a weekly basis.
But his most widely ciruclated joke to date has been the “Zim-Asset” one but he says it was his own way of simplifying complex issues into a simple discussion for easy comprehension.
Besides comedy, Uncle Ritchie is also a recording artiste with one gospel album up his sleeves.
He is also a the holder of Diploma in Education from Mutare Teachers’ Collegespecialising in music and Shona. He currently imparts his music skills to learners at Harare schools such as The Dominican Convent and David Livingstone among other.
No doubt about it, Zimbabwe’s comedy landscape may just have produced its best artist yet. This is definitely the one to watch over the next few months.
