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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Arts Reporter

Modelling fans are clamouring for the return of Miss World Zimbabwe, blaming its comatose condition on Covid-19, yet the struggles affecting the pageant have nothing to do with the pandemic.

Nothing has been heard from the pageant organisers over the past three years. They seem to be struggling to revive the pageant. 

Long before Covid-19 hit us, when the reigning Miss World Zimbabwe Belinda Potts was crowned, there has been no local representative to the Miss World pageant since then.

Who is to blame for such a development?

Remember, years back there were models like Malaika Mushandu, Brita Maselethulini, Angeline Musasiwa and Tendai Hundah represented the country well at prestigious pageants.

Now it’s either we watch other girls from different countries on television showcasing their talents or we have our locals taking part in some regional or international pageants that are a far cry from the prestigious “Miss World” which every girl dreams of taking part in.

Even for those small pageants, somehow it looks like the girls would have sneaked  through the back door as we rarely hear about the auditions or see them on the ramp locally.

This has destroyed the modelling  industry, worse still when any Jack and Jill is hosting their own pageant despite not being registered.

Are these pageants being done mostly as a money-making scheme? And what does the  council in charge of controlling modelling say about all these developments, that is if ever such a council exists? 

No wonder why we end up having a lot of beauty pageants sprouting all over the country, which is not doing any good to the girl child and enriching the organisers.

This is because no one is governing them, hence if you throw a stone in the city centre, you are likely to hit a recently crowned beauty queen.

This should be a wake-up call even to the relevant authorities, the overall Ministry that deals with arts and entertainment, to verify these pageants, organisers and license holders.

Many stories have been written, but is it not now the time now to resuscitate the sector? Besides, modelling promotes tourism and culture.

Although some models and agencies were complaining about the popular and prestigious Miss World Zimbabwe being not held due to various reasons, they have lost hope for the industry.

The million-dollar questions is who has the licence to host Miss World Zimbabwe?

Other reputable agencies who spoke to The Herald Arts on condition of anonymity said the licence holder was doing a shoddy job and holding modelling hostage.

“It is now more than three years and I am sure this year there is no hope for Miss World Zimbabwe. Does it mean that the reigning queen Belinda Potts will be queen for four years? That should make it to the Guinness Book of Records,” said a modelling expert.

“What is stopping the licence holder from hosting pageants? We have so much talent and at the same time our girl child is losing hope. They now believe that the pageant is associated with scandals and abuse. 

“For how long will Belinda remain the queen? What if she wants to get married? Besides, some have already forgotten about her, anyway. We wanted to write a petition, but we were advised by some people to let sleeping dogs lie, which is wrong for our industry. 

“Our girls are now afraid to participate. Bring back Miss World Zimbabwe, we are being left out at international and regional shows. We are tired of those small pageants taking place around the country which are not serving any purpose.”

Contacted for comment, Potts declined to say anything about the state of affairs.

“You can speak to the Miss Zimbabwe Trust; I can’t comment,” she said.

Sources revealed that Potts signed a confidential contract with the organisers that was binding on her duties and role.

But the question on everyone’s lips is for how long and when will she be free?

If no action is taken, that will surely signal the death of Miss World Zimbabwe. Should we just fold our hands and write its obituary without taking any action.

Zimbabwe has beautiful girls throughout the country, and we are doing them a disservice

Let us give the girl child an opportunity to shine, you never know, we might be sitting on the next Miss World.