Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
ALL is set for the Miss Summer Strides pageant which is making a return tonight after almost 10 years.
The modelling contest will be held at Lavinia Gardens in Bulawayo with 13 contestants vying for the crown.
Entertainment will be provided by Mzoe7, Novuyo Seagirl, Western Khazinz, MJ Impersonator and Malcolm King.
The return of the event which was a hit in the city back in the day, is a breath of fresh air for the modelling industry in Zimbabwe which was subdued due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Like many entertainment shows, pageantry suffered as not many contests were staged due to the lockdown restrictions.
Miss Summer Strides was a premium pageant in the country, churning out the likes of Lorraine Maphala-Phiri and Sibusisiwe Dube.
However, it stopped being held because its founder Sipho Mazibuko encountered mental health issues in 2011. After recovering, her concerted efforts to revive the pageant hit a brick wall, but it looks like this year, in the unlikeliest of times, she seems to have found a formula.
Last week, Mazibuko held semi-finals for the pageant at her Lavinia Gardens where she trimmed the models to 16.
However, for various reasons, three dropped out and 13 are now left. The models were drawn from as far as Harare, Binga, Chivi, Gweru and Bulawayo.
The 13 finalists are Rebecca Chiwona, Samantha Maphosa, Nozipho Ndlovu, Vanessa Tsuro, Brenda Mudereri, Tinotenda Mupfudzi, Celine Siyalumba, Felicia N Maphosa, Ellain Qhawe Ncube, Sibonginkosi Mguni, Yolanda Jama, Anita Black and Chelsey Tittle.
The judging panel will comprise media personality and model Arthur Evans, journalist Jonathan Mbiriyamveka, modelling guru Mavis Koslek, Tumelo Noko, former beauty queen Sibusisiwe Dube, Connie Moyo, former Miss Tourism Zimbabwe Samantha Tshuma, Mr Zimbabwe Ben Chest, Karren Weinand and Thando Mambazo.
“I have all these judges because some are judging for the Queen and some for special awards like super legs, smile, face and body. I don’t want pressure on the judges. I’ve been doing this for 20 years so I know that if judges are under pressure, they just choose a winner just to get it out of the way and be done with the job,” said Mazibuko.
The 13 will vie for the top crown at Lavinia Gardens at a small ceremony due to Covid-19 regulations today as from 6PM.
“People thought I was gone and gone for good, but with this pageant, I’ve announced that I’m back with a bang. It’s a positive thing to have Miss Summer Strides back because this year has been a very hard one. Organising a pageant isn’t easy, it’s very hard and expensive. I think that’s why many have failed over the years,” said Mazibuko.
She said the pageant is different as she has deliberately chosen models who are pursuing tertiary education.
“We have doctors, radiographers, even accountants in the calibre of the models. We want to take a different direction with this pageant so that our models really show that they’re beauties with brains,” she said.
As part of the pageant’s new trajectory, Mazibuko said she is also using the contest to raise awareness about mental health issues.
— @bonganinkunzi
Online Reporter