The Sunday News
Allan Foti, Sunday Life Correspondent
“WHEN I built my house, I wanted it to shout style.”
This is the way socialite and businessman, Genius ‘‘Ginimbi’’ Kadungure describes the vision behind his ‘‘mansion in the village’’.
Built on four acres of land in rural Domboshava which is 39 kilometers from Harare, the two-storey house is where Ginimbi lives in when he is in the country, splitting his time between Zimbabwe and South Africa where he also has business interests.
The eye-catching mansion has six bedrooms, a fully equipped gym and a 14-seater state-of-the-art cinema. From the moment you walk into this mansion in the village, the first thing that takes your breath away is the swivelling glass door emblazoned with a logo of a famous fashion line instantly giving you a glimpse into Kadungure’s fabled life. The logo on the door immediately tells you that the million-dollar Rolls Royce parked right in front of the front door is a statement giving testament to the wealth and style of one of the country’s most written about young and rich 30-something-year-old.
“When I engaged an architect to design my house, I made sure that he understood the way I live my life. I instructed him to study me from my choice of cars to dress sense to social interests and come up with something that depicts all of these things. And the result was two-storey buildings of pure class,” Kadungure revealed to Sunday Life.
The mansion has an open plan type of design with doorless entrances connecting the rooms with each single room built with a balcony or verandah giving access to the lush gardens. The ground floor has a large kitchen, a lounge, a small ‘‘reception’’, gym, cinema, guest bedrooms and an entire guest wing which is separated from the main house by a series of garages for Kadungure’s top-of-the-range cars which include the Rolls Royce Wraith, Bentley Bentyaga SUV and a Range Rover.
And none of them come cheap! A few metres off the front door into the house is a flight of stairs leading to more bedrooms including the master bedroom and Kadungure’s private office. One also has access to a fully-stocked entertainment area which could easily compete with the best bars in town with its elegant furnishings.
“I generally live alone here but when I entertain I try and ensure that all my guests are comfortable whether it’s when they go to sleep or when we are just having a few drinks in the bar,” says Kadungure.
Each of the six bedrooms has en suite bathrooms and king size beds to go with the lush carpeting and striking décor. Each bedroom also includes big screen LED TVs and Wi-Fi access.
But it is the master bedroom that leaves one’s mouth dry with envy. A king-size bed sits smack in the middle of the room which is laid down with the smoothest of carpets. On one wall is a large TV while the ceiling has blue and red-coloured lights that give the room a calming effect.
“This is my sanctuary. This is my own little kingdom and I tried to make it as comfortable as possible,” explains Ginimbi as he shows Sunday Life through to the walk-in wardrobe large enough to be a bedroom in ordinary homes.
The gardens are also a view to behold and include all-weather basketball and tennis courts. A fish pond sits in the middle of the manicured lawns and well-kept flowerbeds. Ginimbi spared no expense to build a house that reflects both his wealth and his style but preferred to be mum on the cost.
“I share a lot of my life with the public, but that one detail I’m not willing to make public,” he says coyly.
But why build such a house in the rural areas, we asked Ginimbi.
“Domboshava is my rural home. I decided to build my mansion in my own village. You have no idea how peaceful it is out here. Imagine if I lived in Borrowdale Brooke or somewhere like that, I would never be able to rest. This for me is where I am most comfortable in my own skin. In fact, you are the first journalist I have brought here. I like to keep this part of my life to myself,” he said.
Ginimbi built a 3,6-kilometre tarred road that leads straight to this mansion in the village. And at the end of this tarred road one is met by a huge security wall and the first taste of the life and style of Genius ‘‘Ginimbi’’ Kadungure. -@AllanFoti
