Chinhoyi Man Celebrates 104th Birthday

A Chinhoyi centenarian stunned guests by taking to the dance floor at his 104th birthday celebration.

Chirenje Chisoni broke down in tears on Sunday when management at Chengetanai Old People’s Home threw a surprise birthday party for him. Chisoni turned 104 years on New Year’s Day.

Chisoni, who is now blind due to old age, reminisced about his youthful days when he was still energetic.

Chisoni is of Mozambican descent, and told H-Metro that he crossed the border to the then Southern Rhodesia as there were more job opportunities.

He said he wanted to fend for his beautiful girlfriend he had left in Mozambique.

“I cannot remember the year, but I can still remember my girlfriend crying that I was deserting her,” he said.

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Chisoni said he got his first job in Murewa where he worked at a tobacco farm.

“During the colonial period, the darkest black people used to work in farms and mines. I got lucky and a white man picked me from the streets to go to his farm where I worked planting tobacco and other crops,” he said.

Chisoni said concerts were also popular among black people then, and he would also attend.

“I was a very good dancer. Taitamba magitare kusvika amai vapopota. I didn’t know that I was courting myself the trouble, as women would throw themselves at me,” he said.

Chisoni said although he loved women, he was scared of approaching them.

“Ndaitya vakadzi kunyangwe vaindimomotera senyuchi nokuda kwechipo changu chokutamba.”

He said he is grateful for being granted long life. “God has been wonderful in my life and I am grateful. Kare kwangu ndaikudza mari kupfuura Mwari, but later in life, I learnt to worship God, and I thank him for the gift of life.”

A local businessman, Archiborld Nyazamba, who hosted Chisoni, said there is nothing impossible with God.

“Honestly speaking, I never thought one can pass 100 years. It shows that if one is disciplined and principled, God honours and blesses you,” said Nyazamba.-H Metro