The rise of Tatenda Mavetera Tatenda Mavetera and husband Eddie

Joseph Katete

A wise man once said: “Some people are born great, others achieve greatness while some have greatness thrust upon their shoulders.”

When someone is catapulted to stardom when still a teenager, there is a temptation to think that they were born great. But not with Tatenda Mavetera, the Zanu-PF Seke-Chikomba women’s quota MP who played role of Tendai Jari on the popular Studio 263 soapie.

She said she grew up in a humble Christian family and prefers to achieve greatness yet there is a soft and intriguing beauty of a story behind how it all began.

“I first got involved in professional acting when I attended auditions for Studio 263. On the very day, there were different categories and a lot of people had come to audition,” recalls Mavetera of that day close to two decades ago now.

“I realised that there was a category for the 17-20 year age group and also a below 16 years category. I was still 15 but turning 16 in May of that year so I decided to first go for the under 16 category then I auditioned again for the 17-20 years category.” 

As such, she split her eggs and thrust them into two baskets — this was her longing for success.

“When I went for the latter category, the people who were conducting the auditions asked me how old I was and I told them my age. They told me I had attended auditions for the wrong category and I told them that the reason I was attending the auditions for this particular age group was because my body was too big and people would not believe it that I was a 15-year-old girl. 

“I added that since I didn’t want to take chances with this opportunity, I chose to audition under the two different categories, under 16 and the 17-20 year category,” said Mavetera.

Such was her hunger to succeed and pursue her dreams. 

The adjudicators for the auditions laughed at her response but were impressed with her boldness and confidence at the same. As the saying goes “the rest is indeed history”. 

From the Studio 263 auditions, Mavetera saw her life being turned from a raw and naive teenager to a ravishing television sensation within months. The climax of her acting career came in 2003 when she won the Best Actress gong during the country’s biggest arts awards, the National Arts Merit Awards.

Despite the success and celebrity status she achieved through her acting exploits in Studio 263, Tatenda, who played the role of Tendai Jari in the country’s first and longest-running television soap opera, said her strong Christian background helped her remain grounded and humble.

“I realised that being a celebrity does not change one’s inner self. What changes is the fame and popularity that comes with the status. After all, if you humble yourself, God always lifts you up,” she said.

She said her application of that principle has not changed even now when she is a businesswoman, farmer and the ruling party’s youngest woman in the legislature.

“I believe wherever there is God, nothing is impossible and that’s what inspires me. Whatever I get into, the first person that I always tell is God. 

“I’m a farmer and founding member of the Federation for Young Farmers Clubs in Zimbabwe Trust (FYFCZT). 

“I’m also a member of a very strong church which is called Heartfelt International Ministry headed by Apostle Tavonga Vutabwashe who has also been my inspiration,” said the MP. 

Preferring to talk mostly about her involvement in farming and her green fingers, Mavetera who has been farming since 2010 encouraged farmers to always follow best farming practices as well as taking it as a serious business.

The young legislator and farmer who is married to Edmore and has two children, Dariene and Daniel is currently studying for a Doctorate in Business Leadership. She is a holder of a Masters Degree in Strategic Marketing among other impressive professional and academic qualifications.

Many people would probably not know that she is not just an ordinary legislator, but is part of the influential Speakers Panel in Parliament. This means she is an assistant Speaker and can chair parliamentary proceedings when the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament are both not there.

“When you want to see change in the world, you need to get involved with what is happening and not sit on the periphery. 

“I have always wanted to see the emancipation of our people economically and that voice inside me telling me I should help people realise their dreams pushed me into politics,” she explained.

She is passionate about farming, the youth and women’s issues in Parliament as she tries to live her talk.

λ Joseph Katete is the founding treasurer of the Arts Journalists Association of Zimbabwe (AJAZ), a certified marketing practitioner and practising public relations executive.Ma
Forty

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