Online Reporter
Liberty Dube
Post Correspondent
A STORM has erupted in Zimbabwe’s pageantry circles after the Miss Rural Zimbabwe Mental Voices Trust reported a serious case of alleged impersonation, trademark infringement, and fraud involving individuals operating in Manicaland.
According to a letter seen by The Weekender Entertainment and addressed to the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Trust accused two individuals—one identified only as Shingirai—of falsely presenting themselves as officials of Miss Rural Zimbabwe.
The pair allegedly solicited money from aspiring rural models under the guise of organising an official event.
Reports indicate that the suspects charged vulnerable contestants US$10 each to register for what they claimed was a legitimate Miss Rural Zimbabwe competition. The Trust condemned the conduct as fraudulent, stressing that it violated its registered trademarks and intellectual property rights.
In its statement, the Miss Rural Zimbabwe Mental Voices Trust voiced concern that the impersonation was tarnishing its reputation and creating confusion among the public.
The organisation emphasized that this was particularly damaging in Manicaland, where it is set to host the official Miss Rural Zimbabwe show in Buhera this coming February.
“The individuals involved are not authorised representatives of Miss Rural Zimbabwe,” said the organisation, adding that their actions risk undermining years of work aimed at empowering rural women and promoting authentic platforms for rural talent.
The Trust urged law enforcement authorities to act swiftly, calling for the arrest and prosecution of those involved.
It also emphasized that both Miss Rural Zimbabwe and Mr Rural Zimbabwe Pageant are duly registered with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), giving the organisation legal standing to protect its name and brand.
“We will not tolerate any unauthorised use of our name or trademarks,” the letter warned.
As the story gained traction, The Weekender Entertainment tracked down Shingirai to hear his side of the matter.
In an interview, he denied any malicious intent, claiming he was unaware that there was an established Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe brand operating nationwide.
He admitted creating and advertising a pageant titled Miss Manicaland Rural, but insisted that he had not collected any money from models.
“I would like to apologise to the rightful owner of the Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe trademark, Sipho Mazibuko, for the inconvenience I caused. I know there are models and other stakeholders who were confused, since Mazibuko is the rightful owner of Mr and Miss Rural around all the provinces in Zimbabwe,” he said, adding that upon realising the mistake, he immediately removed all promotional material from his social media platforms.
“I had just started advertising the poster, but I have taken down all my posts about the pageant. I have not received any money from any models for the pageant,” he said, further issuing a public apology to aspiring rural models who may have been misled by the advertisements.
“To every rural model, please refer to Mazibuko for the Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe pageant. I offer my deepest apologies for the confusion,” he said.
The incident has highlighted the challenges around brand protection in Zimbabwe’s creative and entertainment industries, particularly as social media makes it easier for individuals to launch events with minimal oversight.
For established organisations like Miss Rural Zimbabwe, which has built a national footprint and legal protections, such incidents pose reputational and operational risks.
Industry observers say the matter underscores the importance of due diligence by aspiring models and stakeholders before paying registration fees or committing to pageants.
As of publication, it remains unclear what action police will take following the complaint.
