Zimpapers Logo

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
IT’S a perfect birthday present, said Mr Same Moyo who turned 45 yesterday on a day he was named among the OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion’s $1,5 million winners.

There was a total of 1 800 winners out of over four million entries in the almost two-month long 32nd edition of the promotion that ended last Saturday.

Mr Moyo, an employee at a cement mining company based in Gwanda, said he never expected, even in his wildest dreams, that spending at OK could be life changing.

Of course, over the years, he has known of the OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion, but never thought he would hit the jackpot at some point.

Mr Moyo is among the four OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion winners from Matabeleland region to walk away with $1,5 million.

The lucky punters, who spent at least $1 000 at the supermarket during the promotion, received their cheques yesterday at OK Jason Moyo in Bulawayo.

The small function was to handover bank cheques for winners in Matabeleland region.

Among the winners, was a police officer who walked away with $850 000.

Mr Moyo, a father of three, said he could not have asked for a better birthday present.

He said at first it was difficult for him to believe that he bagged the OK Grand Challenge prize.

“I bought some products at OK several times in Gwanda and when the final draw was done on Saturday, I was informed that I had won.

Some friends posted that I had won but I waited for confirmation from OK and they confirmed on Monday.

“At first, I was in disbelief, but excited and only calmed when it sank in that I had won. You start thanking God that you have won because so many people bought at OK and it’s God’s grace that I won.

“It’s a game changer, you run ideas around on how best to use the money. It must actually change something, it should make some changes,” said Mr Moyo.

He could not stop chuckling and glanced lovingly at his wife repeatedly, as if to assure himself that he was not dreaming.

He described the $1,5 million as a game changer and while he had not thought of how he would spend the rest of it, his priority is to complete constructing a house for his family.

“The first thing is to complete a house that I was building in Gweru. That will be the first project. It’s been a year since I started trying to build the house,” said Mr Moyo in a surprisingly calm voice after all the excitement.

Another winner, Mr Owen Togara (37) who lives in Njube, said he would use the money to complete constructing his house in Luveve suburb. The father of two, who is a locksmith, said he participated in the competition after buying groceries at OK Entumbane.

“OK has changed my life in a way that I never could have imagined. OK changed my life, my life will never be the same. I’m at a loss for words on what to say, the least I can say is that I’m now a millionaire. When I was told that I’ve won, I thought someone was joking, I started sweating, because it’s my first time getting such an amount. I couldn’t believe it but when I heard it through the radio, that’s when I became convinced that I had won,” said Mr Togara.

Dressed in a grey suit, the tall, slim and dark Mr Togara looked like a business executive.

“A million is a lot of money. I will do a lot of things. I have a house I was building in Luveve, so this is an opportunity to finish it up. At the moment I’m just focused on completing the house and the rest will follow.”

The other two winners preferred not to be interviewed.

While police officer Sergeant Tichaedza Mungu stationed Southampton Building did not bag $1,5 million, she walked away with $850 000 and was visibly the most excited.

“This is a blessing; it only comes once in a lifetime and even never. If you look at this prize, the whole of Zimbabwe was looking to win it, but it is pleasantly shocking that I won it. I’m so happy; I can’t explain how excited I am,” said Sgt Mungu, who has been in the police force for 16 years.

She had an entourage of friends and took dozens of selfies with them while holding the cheque.

Sgt Mungu said being a police officer is what propelled her into winning the OK Grand challenge prize.

“If I wasn’t a police officer, probably I wouldn’t have won this money. It’s through my salary that I was able to buy at OK. I buy at OK Jason Moyo; I work at Southampton Building, due to its proximity to my work place I buy from this shop” she said, waving her hands animatedly.

“I’ve heard cases where after people win lotto jackpots, they quit their jobs. I’ve no plan of doing so. Being a police officer means a lot to me. I might have won this money but being a police officer is closer to my heart.

“We were struggling when I was growing up and life changed when I joined the police service,” she said.

Sgt Mungu, a mother of two, said she does not have plans yet on how she will spend the money.

“I’m praying for wisdom from God on how I will use the money. At the moment I don’t have a plan because it came to me unexpectedly.

But God knows what’s in my heart and I want to fulfil it using that money,” said Sgt Mungu.

She said beside prospects of winning the OK Grand Challenge prize, the shop is very hospitable that is why she continues buying from it.

OK Zimbabwe Limited human resources manager Mr Takudzwa Mutarikwa congratulated the winners saying the competition would not have been possible without participation from customers and suppliers.

He said the OK Grand Challenge saw 1 800 winners walking away with prizes during a competition that ran for almost two months.

“The spread of the prizes also reflected the wide spread of our store locations with winners coming from as far as Karoi, Chiredzi and Gwanda in the main draw. The main prize of the Toyota Hilux 4×4 Double Cab was won in Mutare for the first time since the launch of the Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion,” he said. — @nqotshili