Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Arts Reporter
Organisers of the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant have announced that their queen, Tafadzwa Primrose Jaricha, will not represent the country at the international level this year because of limited time and lack of preparedness.
Jaricha (23) will continue her reign and will go next year end for the Miss Tourism World.
The Mutare-based model-cum-lawyer emerged the winner in September at a glamorous pageant held in Bulawayo, beating other 20 beauties from different provinces.
Speaking at a handover, prize ceremony for MTZ winners, pageant licence-holder Sarah Mpofu-Sibanda said it was a decision by the board to hold the queen for another year, giving her more time to prepare for the international pageant.
“Let me take this opportunity to announce to you that, our queen as per norm, will not this year represent the country on international level because we have considered a lot of conditions which include time frame for preparing is little and she hasn’t grasp much.
“We also received reports from past winners that, the international arena is like a jungle, too big for them and this kills their confidence,” she said.
However, it was a big day for Jaricha who received a Mercedes-Benz C200 which was already registered in her name courtesy of Dr Mercy Mafara, apart from $10 000 to be wired into her account.
Her first princess, Natalie Mangondo, walked away with $7 000 while Life Matunzeni got $5 000.
All the contestants received $1 000 each from Dr Walter Magaya.
“I am excited about this pageant and I would like to thank the sponsors and my mother for believing in me. Growing up in Chikanga 3 in Mutare, ghetto youths have no hope that they will represent the country at any level, all we could believe in was to watch the television and hear the news but I thank God. Here I am defying all odds,” Jaricha said.