02 March 2022
Charlene Thabisile Mguni
Bulawayo Comedian, Hidden Sibanda famously known as “Uncle Zex Mdawini” has broken the bearers of Bulawayo local comedy after winning a NAMA award.
The National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) are annual awards which celebrates achievements in arts and culture nationwide.
Uncle Zex is a controversial comedian, whose comedy journey started from generally being humorous to making jokes and recording them to posting them on social media, to even performing some of his comedy skits in ZUPCO buses until earning him a PRACA (Pumula Royal Arts and Community Awards) and finally being recognized nationally and winning the NAMA.
The funnyman Uncle Zex refers to himself as RECYCLED TEENAGER as he was born in Feb 1969 and is married and has 4 children but he is re-living his teenage years through his comedy now.
“I am blessed with 4 big guys 2 of which are already doing business and helping me fend for the other 2.
I am landlord of a house in Old Pumula and I run an electronics shop in 13th Ave between Chitepo and Lobengula streets. I also do comedy, write novels, short stories and poems for fun”, says Uncle Zex.
Comedy began at a tender age as he recalls. He says that for him it started by being generally a funny person until later in life when he shot a funny video and it went viral instantly.
“I have always been that funny guy from childhood. However to realize that people loved my stuff it was when I did the charge office skit that went viral. Then someone, named Freak did a Mapiano jingle of the joke that then was played every day on ZBC Kfm by mostly Sakheleni Nxumalo, and Miss Tee.
“….these are the people who then asked me to do regular skits for airplay. I did that as it challenged me to do more skits till it became a norm”. He explains.
However comedy has not been all glitz and glamour for him as last year he was bashed on a ZUPCO bus for a bad joke about lodgers (tenants) as people claimed he was the reason landlords where increasing rentals.
He was beaten by the passengers and was left with a swollen lip.
Another challange he is facing is worksmanship.
Uncle Zex says his skits are produced using a cellular phone.
“I call my comedy ‘PHONE THEATER’ for most of my jokes are done through the phone. Problem I always have is that I have never owned a good phone. All the skits I do have been done from poor phones and that has limited my quality and progress”
“Also I didn’t like the criticism I got from one of the local press that almost cost me winning awards. They implicated me as having failed to perform at a poorly organized show. I know I did well but because I brought a new style in comedy I was judged wrong. People laughed through out my performance. That I didn’t do the Trevor Noah style doesn’t deem me incapable. People love my style for it’s difference and I can’t change because of judges who forget that change is imminent”, said Uncle Zex.
But that has not dimmed his light, as he has climbed even higher heights by winning the prestigious NAMA award and giving him national recognition.
He won in the Outstanding Comedian genre against Theophilus Gabriel Chigumira and Kudzai Chengedza other famous comedians.
The award is worth ZWL$100 000.
“I feel honored, I won the PRACA last year and I just won The NAMA. I celebrate and I am challenged at the same time. Whatever I do now I will have to pull up my socks because people are now expecting more meaning that I must beat the level I have set for myself”.
Uncle Zex has released a poem in a bid to thank his fans and people who recognized and celebrate his talent with him.
Part of his Poem…
BEHOLD THE AWARD
It all started as a joke,
It was indeed a joke,
A joke that led to another,
Till it became a culture,
A culture that was not to be a joke.
Like yeast it began to penetrate,
Into those that concentrate,
Like some acid it got concentrated,
And the whole world reacted!