Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena
SHE walked the walk, lit up the runway and held the nation’s gaze, until the final moment when a fumbled answer cost her the crown. But while others rallied in support of their own, Bulawayo’s golden girl Onesimo Nkomo was met with a flood of mockery and negativity from her own people.
Now the question must be asked. What does it take to support our own?
Onesimo, a proud daughter of Nkayi and first runner-up at Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2025, dazzled at the glamorous Hippodrome event on 17 May. She stood tall among Zimbabwe’s finest, only to fall short at the Q and A segment, the notorious make-or-break moment for any beauty queen.
Gweru’s Lyshanda Moyas walked away with the crown and the keys to a Mercedes Benz C200, but for Matabeleland North, it felt like heartbreak. For Bulawayo, it felt like betrayal, not from the judges, but from the very people meant to lift Onesimo in her moment of need.
Instead of rallying behind her, 152 negative comments flooded B-Metro’s platforms after our story highlighted her near-miss. Our headline, “If Dejected Was a Person…” sparked a backlash, but not against the injustice. The claws came out for Onesimo instead. Others turned the dagger on the publication after reading the headline, without reading the story, apparently.
Why the hate? Why the silence from local businesses? Why aren’t we turning disappointment into action?
Model enthusiast Thabani Ncube said it best. “She did well on the walkway. What she needs is encouragement, not insults. Let’s cheer for her because there is always room for a comeback.”
Let’s break it down. If each of those 152 critics had turned their keyboard fury into financial support, just US$100 each, that’s US$15 200 right there. More than enough to buy the very Benz she missed out on.
Harare people do it differently. When Munya Chidzonga lost Big Brother Africa in 2008, US$300 000 rained down from the capital’s business community. Led by Phillip Chiyangwa, they turned defeat into triumph. Even the late
President Robert Mugabe sipped tea with Munya at State House while handing over the cheque.
And look at Harare socialites Gilbert Nyamanhindi and Joyce. They were showered with support, a house, cash and a wedding. Why? Because their people stood up for them.
So again, what’s stopping Bulawayo from doing the same for Onesimo Nkomo?
This is a chance to rewrite the narrative. Local companies can sign her as brand ambassador. Events organisers can put her in front of the camera again. Community leaders can lead fundraising efforts. She does not need sympathy, she needs support.
It’s time for a culture shift. From gossip to giving. From critique to contribution. From pulling down to lifting up.
Let’s rally around Onesimo. Let’s show the nation that Bulawayo backs its own, not just when they win, but especially when they stumble.
Because that is what real support looks like.
