[Red Moon]

Makosi's dad proud of daughter

THE family of Makosi Musambasi, the Zimbabwe-born nurse who took part in the just ended Big Brother UK, is proud of her achievements in the show despite loud disapproval of her actions from some quarters.

In an exclusive interview with The Weekend Gazette, Makosi's father Richard, who lives in Belvedere Harare dismissed all the criticism of his controversial 24-year old daughter, defending her to the hilt as having given Zimbabweans "national pride".

He told The Weekend Gazette, "We are very happy for her, she did us, herself and the country proud. It was really an achievement for her to be able to participate in a global show, though we would have wanted her to win.

"Makosi is an adult who, like any other, should be allowed to make her own decisions as she did when she entered the contest. All the things that she did in the show were part of the game and as a family we have nothing to do with that nor does anyone else," said Musambasi, a former policeman.

He spoke as Makosi began life as a glamour personality in Britain-she has not stopped hogging the limelight since she was booted out of the BB house last week.

On Sunday she posed half naked for the weekly tabloid News Of The World giving blow by blow details of her explicit live TV sex romp. She also appeared in the People newspaper and is understood to have pocketed thousands of pounds for her stories.

On Monday she was featured in The Sun newspaper, the same paper which denied her victory by influencing the British public against her after sensational claims that she was an actress.

She told The Sun of a secret teenage lover she had in Zimbabwe and boasted, "He's very well-endowed, unlike Anthony (the Big Brother housemate she had a romp with in the pool)."

She claimed to have fallen madly in love with 19-year old Nyasha Zengeya after meeting him at the Family Of God Church in Zimbabwe.

Makosi told of how businessman Phillip Chiyangwa took away her virginity when they became lovers. Her sister said Makosi had her first boyfriend while she was in high school.

Makosi was involved in controversial and unpopular antics during her twelve-week run, in Big Brother UK including having casual sex in the pool, performing a lesbian snog and claiming that she ate dog, cat and horse meat.

Despite all the murmurings over her behaviour, her family believes she was the most entertaining personality in this year's show and did well to come out third. Far from the unfolding drama in England, Makosi's father recalled treating the cocky nurse to traditional African delicacies including mice (mbeva in Shona), when she was little.

He also said that his daughter was a "courageous and ambitious girl" while growing up. "She usually wanted to be outstanding, loved art, modelling and swimming. She took part in the Miss Zimbabwe 1998 contest and came out in the top ten. She was at one time Miss Mashonaland, once she set her sights on doing something, no one could stop her," he said.

But Makosi's sister, who requested anonymity, accused Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom of being jealous.

"Zimbabweans denied Makosi victory, they are naturally jealous, one minute they are with you, the next they are against you. I believe all her votes came from whites because they are not stupid enough to judge her on the basis of her game plan," she said.

However, according to the dictates of African traditions, it is taboo for a woman to pose naked or discuss elements of her sex life in public. Makosi has had no qualms about violating these cultural norms. She has enthusiastically discussed her sexual antics in the Big Brother UK housse and posed topless for two British newspapers. She also talke openly about her illicit love affair with businessman Philip Chiyangwa, who is married-another no-no.

Source: Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe