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Miss World Zimbabwe UK winners

Vongai Mbara Arts Reporter
Miss Zimbabwe UK winner Karen Kawadza, along with her two princesses Amanda Nkomo and Laurah Simbi will miss this year’s Miss World Zimbabwe beauty pageant scheduled for July 22 in Harare.

The beauty queens were crowned at an event held in London on the July 1 and were due to travel to Zimbabwe last Monday. According to a statement released by UK Pageant director Chiedza Ziyambe, their contests join other Zimbabwean beauties from USA and South Africa that also failed to send their representatives to the boot camp which commenced on July 8.

It means that all foreign-based models that were supposed to take part in the pageant have pulled out. Ziyambe confirmed that the beauty queens would not be joining the other girls in Zimbabwe due to unforeseen circumstances.

“Unfortunately the girls will not be attending the beauty pageant in Zimbabwe due to unanticipated travel delays that were beyond our control. As a result, we have missed the deadline for them to join the other contestants in boot camp,” said Ziyambe.

She however emphasised that the three models from UK automatically qualified for next year’s pageant. “I have communicated with the director in Zimbabwe and it has been agreed that the winner of this year’s competition, as well as the first and second princesses, will automatically enter the competition in 2018,” said Ziyambe.

Miss World Zimbabwe spokesperson Tendai Chirau said the other girls are already in camp and it would be too late for them to catch up. “Some of the girls checked in boot camp last Monday and the grooming and deportment course is taking place. On Friday (today) we are having a sashing ceremony for the 16 finalist were we are going to reveal them to the nation,” he said. Although the models are disappointed, they said they will not give up but will be looking forward to contesting next year.

“We are saddened that we will not be able to attend the beauty pageant this year, however, expect us in Zimbabwe next year,” said Kawadza.

Amanda Nkomo said that they are now preparing and looking forward to 2018 and, would come back bigger, stronger and even better.