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Miss Zimbabwe Trust chairperson Marry Chiwenga (left) poses with some of last year’s Miss World Zimbabwe finalists

Tafadzwa Zimoyo Arts Reporter
With five months to go before the Miss World beauty contest Zimbabwe is yet to audition for participants for the Miss Zimbabwe beauty pageant. The world showcase will be held on December 20 and indications show that perennial contenders in the modelling industry like Guinea, Guyana, India, Israel, Indonesia, South Africa, New Zealand and United States already finalising preparations to the global pageant.

For Zimbabwe, the pageant is still dithering on when auditions for the national competitions would be held.

The question on everyone lips is not about who will be the new queen and will she be ready considering that it’s only three months left for preparations?

Back in the day the pageant used to be hosted early months of the year to give time for more grooming and deportment.

Some critics said there was need for Zimbabwe to take the world pageants seriously if they were to go places and be regarded as a serious country on pageants.

“There is no need for being cry-babies if you lag behind.

“If you don’t even make an effort to prepare for the Miss world pageant which we all know is the ultimate stage of the modelling competition, no one will take you seriously.

“Yes, you can do it in your own backyard, but the fact is that nothing takes place in isolation and what this means is that you won’t know how much resources and worth you have to bring value and addition to your country if you don’t participate at such a stage,” said one agency who did not want to be named.

Another modelling agent said it was saddening to note that the lack of preparedness by the organisers of the local modelling authority was also reflection of lack of organisation on their part.

Earlier in an interview pageant spokesperson Tendai Chirau said there was still time.

“The reasons for postponement are if we don’t have the best girls in our final selection, we will not hold the pageant.

After we are done with the auditions we will announce the date for Miss World Zimbabwe with other developments to follow such as scouting for designers and hosts among other issues,” he said.

However the involvement of local models in shenanigans like sex-tapes which recently rocked the modelling scene by storm, have been cited by some critics as a major contributor towards lack of faith in the current crop of models by local models representing Zimbabwe on the international ramps.

“We are Africans who are known for upholding their moral and principal values, and once a model is attached with a bad tag, that then means, the reputation of a country is thrown into disrepute,” said the agent.

“Maybe the Miss Zimbabwe Trust is wary of the current of models since those that they had deemed to be tried and tested let them down in recent years through some uncalled behaviour,” said Mellisa Kambira, of Harare.

While time is never too late, and on the other hand, while time never waits for anyone, it remains to be seen whether Zimbabwe will be able to fatten a cow on the market and make the grade that will impress the judges.