Zimpapers Logo

were also vying for the same title. Entertainment Editor Ruth Butaumocho (RB), caught up with the lanky beauty Malaika Mushandu (MM) and talked about her new role and plans for the future.
RB: Thanks for coming. Please tell us about yourself.
MM: I was born and bred in Harare. I did my primary education at Groombridge and Marlborough primary schools before attending my secondary education at St Dominic’s Chishawasha. After completing my A-Levels, I went to Namibia, where I am doing a degree in cinematography at AFDA. Because of commitments since I was crowned Miss Zimbabwe, I had to defer my studies for a year.
RB: How does it feel to be the reigning Miss Zimbabwe?
MM: I feel very proud and honoured to be the girl who will be carrying the hopes and dreams of many models and the nation as I go to take part in the Miss World beauty pageant. It is extremely humbling.
RB: I know your reign is far from over, but what have been some of the highlights since you were crowned?
MM: Travelling. I have been travelling to a number of countries to get them to appreciate Zimbabwe under the perception management programme. During the visits, we have been trying to promote peace and understanding through tourism. The more I travelled, the more I began to appreciate that we need to do more in marketing Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination.
RB: What are some of the life lessons you have learnt?
MM: We learn new things everyday. But in everything that we do, we need to understand people and appreciate the cultures that make them who they are.
RB: What would you say are the problems associated with the beauty pageants in Zimbabwe and how best do you think they can be improved?
MM: People need to change the misconceptions they have about beauty pageants overall. But, of course, apart from that, there are a number of challenges the sector continues to face and this includes lack of adequate sponsorship, etiquette and grooming, which I believe stalls a lot of things when it comes to pageantry. If you look at a country like Venezuela, beauty queens start their grooming lessons from nine years until they reach 18, when they can now contest in beauty pageants. That alone is a plus on the quality of models they send to major contests.
I am happy, of course, to say that things are beginning to improve, thanks to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority. We are currently getting grooming lessons from Kiki Divaris, a guru in the modelling industry.
RB: You have been a model for more than two years, and personally what are some of the qualities that one needs to have to make it in the industry?
MM: There are two major categories in the modelling industry, one for the high-profile models and the other for the beauty queens.
One has to be very humble and sincere if they want to make it as a beauty queen because you interact and work with different people all the time. You will find the going tough if you are a beauty queen who doesn’t have those virtues and when you are there for the glitz, money, fame and glamour.
If you were aiming to become a high profile model, you really would need to possess a strong character and really be assertive.
RB: Zimbabwe is highly misunderstood out there, what plans do you have on changing the negative perception during your reign?
MM: I will not be working alone, but with ZTA. We will soon be launching a new brand in different districts, provinces and other countries around the globe. We want to tell the Zimbabwean story and let the world know that there are a lot of positive stories about the country that have not been told.
RB: You have started on a number of projects for the less privileged. What projects are you currently working on?
MM: I am currently working on two projects, one of water and sanitation and the other one for indigenisation. Following the outbreak of cholera that resulted in the death of many people a couple of years ago, I felt compelled to embark on a water and sanitation programme to ensure that the problem will not occur again. I am working with two experts in the area – Peter Morgan, who designed the Bush Pump, and Anne Kanyemba.
On the indigenisation project, we have since been allocated a piece of land outside Norton where we are going to plant different crops for use by the community. A percentage of the money raised from the sale of the crops would be used to pay school fees for kids who live in that community.
We are doing that to show that although we are young, we have what it takes to carry forward the country’s dreams and aspirations. We also want to emulate our leaders who are teaching us to be visionaries and also to work hard, rather than to beg.
RB: I believe you are in a relationship, who is the lucky guy?
MM: No, I am not. With the responsibilities that I have on my shoulders now and my age, I don’t think I will be able to juggle the two. I might consider having a relationship maybe after my reign.
[email protected]