Byo beauties shine in Miss Tourism
OH WHAT a show! This best summarises the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe beauty contest held in Harare at the HICC on Friday where Bulawayo models, Ashley Morgen and Nonhlanhla Dube shone after they made top two.
Morgen was crowned queen by the First lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, shrugging off stiff competition from 14 others while Dube was crowned first princess. Harare’s Shirley Anne Lindsay was crowned second princess. Morgen’s luck probably came from outgoing queen — Samantha Tshuma – another Bulawayo beauty — who handed over her crown to her after six years as the pageant was last held in 2010.
For coming out tops, Morgen who was dressed by top Bulawayo designer, Saneliso Mpofu will be awarded with a vehicle as well as $20 000 from the First lady who was the guest of honour at the ceremony which was nothing short of glamorous.
Dube who was named Miss Agro Tourism as she will work closely with the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society during her reign walked away with $10 000. Dube is younger sister to Miss Zimbabwe second princess (2007) and former Miss Bulawayo Sibusisiwe. Lindsay who was named Miss City Tourism is set to receive $5 000 at a prize giving ceremony that will be held in the capital.
Morgen, a Nust student and a clear crowd favourite also won the People’s Choice during the preliminary rounds of the ceremony. For that, she will be given $2 500. To support the girl child, the events anchor sponsor, South Africa-based Gwanda businessman, Justice Maphosa, through his company — Big Time Events will support the top eight contestants’ by giving them a $1 000 prize money and paying for their school fees. Maphosa is also sponsoring the first and second princess’s prize monies. “Because we believe in this pageant and the new Zimbabwe, each of these girl children who are the finalists and last 10 will have their school fees paid by us wherever they are. This is our way of showing that pageantry can be used for a worthy cause,” said Maphosa.
So lucrative were the winners’ prizes that former Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, Tshuma jibbed that she wanted to be queen for another year.
It was evident the judges of the night — Pamela Hakunavanhu, Miss Zimbabwe Trust patron — Marry Chiwenga, Jonathan Denga and Cynthia Tapera had a hard time choosing the top seven as they had to add an eighth model at the last minute, citing that she missed out on the top seven by a small margin hence they added her. This irked session that was the decider as the models had to impress there to be crowned queen. After all was said and done, Morgen impressed the judges and crowd at the HICC.
The contest which was organised by Mrs Barbara Mzembi and put together by Maphosa’s production team from South Africa raised the bar for local pageantry as it attracted a full house with those in attendance being given top drawer performances from South Africa’s Busiswa, Dr Malinga and fast rising local afro jazz musician — Thamsanqa “Tami” Moyo of the Ndibereke hit track. The stage work also gave the event an international standard, with those who watched on ZBCtv confessing that the production made it seem like the event was being held out of Zimbabwe.
Among those who attended the pageant which has become the talk of town because of its flawless organisation and amazing stage and effects, were the Princess of Monaco, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, Simba Chikore and wife Bona, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dr Chris Mushohwe, Minister of State of Harare Metroplotian Miriam Chikukwa and her Bulawayo counterpart Eunice Sandi Moyo among other foreign dignitaries.