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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Entertainment Reporter
United Nations Gender Champion Albert Nyathi has condemned those condemning Miss World Zimbabwe winner Emily Kachote’s alleged nude pictures, defining it as abuse as the person who allegedly leaked the pictures remains unidentified and safe from the same public censure.Speaking to The Herald Entertainment, country representative UN Regional Creative Artist Advisory Council, Albert Nyathi said people must not appoint themselves moral judges.

“We are condemning what some fans are doing to the newly elected queen Emily.

“This is another form of abuse because people are taking the law into their hands, embarrassing her to that extent, yet the person who is believed to have leaked the so called pictures is not talked about. I strongly personally condemn the move on behalf of other artists,” he said.

He said it is unfair on her side whether she did it or not.

“Everyone is entitled to privacy and imagine the trauma and emotional she could be going through.

“Women are abused a lot in Zimbabwe and it’s high time it should stop. We had the issue of touts undressing women wearing miniskirts now it’s on nude pictures whether photo-shopped or what but it is a form of abuse,” he said.

With the world now in the habit of posting images the various social platforms and networks that are available thanks to technology, some careers and marriages are breaking down owing to this phenomenon.

However, some fans on social media rallied behind Emily as she waits the verdict of the Miss World Zim Trust on whether she retains her crown. According to the rules of the pageant if the images should be proved genuine then the organisers have no choice but to dethrone the recently crowned queen.

At a media conference earlier in the week Miss World Zim spokesperson Tendai Chirau said that the pageant organisers would fully investigate the allegations including ascertaining authenticity of the images then act accordingly.

Reactions on social media have been varied with some roundly condemning Emily and the pageant while others seem to believe that she is the victim of an orchestrated smear campaign.

“I am even surprised with what is going on with models of nowadays. I don’t know how far true the story on Emily is.

“Do you think if she had such shenanigans, considering with how our media are like these days would she go on ramp,” posted one fan identified as Gushaz.

Some say they blame the Trust because of not grooming the models well.

“Come on guys, we have failed this pageantry why can’t we admit. If you check well on those who made it in top eight somewhere somehow they know either organisers or judges. So it’s much more of a mind game. Why can’t we pull ourselves out of such pageants after all the owner of the pageant has no confidence in her models as she is quoted as saying that, ‘Miss World is racist,” posted another fan.

Size 4 modelling agency owner Wilbert Rukato said it was a tricky issue.

“If evidence is levelled against her with full proof, we don’t see why she can continue as queen because as a role model you can’t be surrounded by controversy,” he said.

Another agency owner said that the physical calibre of young women entering the competition has deteriorated because of the fear of scandals.

“We have beautiful ladies in Zimbabwe but they are now afraid because of such issues.

“The Miss Zimbabwe pageant is a big contest whereby all eyes will be on you in as far as beauty and behaviour and our beauty could never have dreamt that they will one day leak and threaten to derail her modelling career,” said the head of a modelling agency who declined to be named.