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Yeukai Karengezeka Arts Correspondent
The second edition of Miss Diamond Queen of Africa beauty pageant which was scheduled for November 28 in Windhoek, Namibia has been postponed due to Ebola fears, organisers have said.
Event founder Mercy “Catwalk” Mushaninga said the pageant is now going to be held on December 28 after safety procedures have been finalised.

“The reason why we have shifted the date is because we want to ensure that all the contestants go through examination and all safety procedures have been followed.

“The deadly disease that is predominant in some parts of West Africa has claimed many lives and we want to ensure that everyone is safe,” she said.

Mushaninga said preparations for the pageant are underway and things are taking shape.

“So far everything is going according to the plan. We are very confident that the pageant will be better than the previous edition since it was our first time to host such an event of that magnitude,” she said.

Formerly known as Miss Curvy Africa, the continental pageant that is running under the theme “Models against hunger in Africa” will see 26 curvaceous girls from nine countries vying for the  crown.

Participating countries are the host Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Cameron and                          Mozambique.

Mushaninga said the models are expected to be in boot camp a fortnight before the grand finale.

“The beauty queens will be in the boot camp two weeks before the finals and Zimbabwe will have five representatives including reigning Miss Curvy Sheila Chikengezha and her two princesses,” she said.

Last year 22-year-old Chiedza Gwanda from Zimbabwe was last year crowned inaugural Miss Diamond Queen of Africa and won $3 000 and a return ticket to Victoria Falls.

Boitumelo Secha from South Africa was first princess and Nancy Ricardo from Mozambique was the second and they won $1 000 each.