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Tafadzwa Zimoyo

Senior Arts Reporter

Former beauty queen Hillary Makaya celebrated her 20th birthday in style last weekend as she was appointed Face of Kariba brand ambassador in a bid to promote Kariba as a tourist and investment destination through pageantry, arts and events. 

Makaya, who of late has been hogging the limelight on social media platform Instagram where she holds “live shows” with different fans, accepted the honour and said will strategise with her team to put Kariba on the map.

Speaking via virtual platforms at the signing ceremony attended by Makaya and her team, the socialite said she was excited to partner with the Face of Kariba organisation.

“There is no better feeling than working with a brand that genuinely wants to get it right for my fans, tourism and country,” said Makaya. “My fans know I always come with the best for them.

“It is an honour for me to stand before you as I accept my nomination as Face of Kariba (FOK) brand ambassador. I accept the appointment knowing that it comes with responsibilities as there is work to be done.”

Makaya said her major role was to work with the team in improving Kariba on its ranking as a tourist destination.

“We also hope that with the team, we will ensure there is increased investment for the town and its surrounding areas,” she said. “I will, during my time, strive to create partnerships with the arts sector, business, and tourism industry, whose results should be felt beyond the bounds of Kariba,” she said.

“I wish to thank the FOK Board for seeing potential in my works and I promise I won’t let you down. I, however, wish to state that for results to come, we must be a team, myself, media, tourism sector, Government and every good meaning Zimbabwean.”

 Face of Kariba Trust founder member and Kariba Publicity Association spokesperson, Alois Chimbangu, said they set their sight on reviving the concept albeit with a new focus in line with the current needs of the resort town.

He said they had been silent, but strategising for the comeback in line with tourism promotion.

“We founded the Face of Kariba Trust in 2014 in tandem with the tourism drive aimed at marketing Kariba and the country as a safe tourist destination,” Chimbangu.

“We had stopped the pageant due to other concerns, but we are now set to revive it under a different approach which is broader and more accommodative.

“As part of the revamped concept, we will look at beauty and brains, showbiz, entrepreneurship as a way of promoting tourism and investment. We will run it as an online concept with monthly winners and also offering destination and investment information on Kariba, providing a platform for partners to share and showcase and create talking points to debate issues.”

Chimbangu said it was time corporates and the business community embraced and took the concept seriously as part of the on-going efforts by Government to promote tourism and the country as a safe tourist destination.

“The revived concept will have a board and executive team to spearhead its promotional operations and will endeavour to attend trade shows and other marketing platforms,” he said.

“Well-managed promotions can play a fundamental role in the marketing and promotion of brand Zimbabwe that includes cultural heritage and many of its tourist attractions, thereby putting our country on the global map.”