Miss Zim hits back

Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
BONGANI Dhlakama has hit back at organisers of the Miss Zimbabwe pageant for not recognising her as the reigning queen.
This comes after sentiments by Miss Zimbabwe Trust chairperson Mary Mubaiwa-Chiwenga, who was reported in the media as saying there was no reigning Miss Zimbabwe as the country last held the pageant in 2012.

Dhlakama was crowned Miss Zimbabwe 2012 at an event which had been organised by modelling guru, Kiki Divaries who had taken over from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority before handing over to Chiwenga last year.

According to reports by our sister paper H-Metro, tomorrow’s event will be the inaugural Miss Zimbabwe contest.

“As the new trust that has taken over the pageant, we distance ourselves from any activities that former beauty queen Bongani Dhlakama may be involved in.

“This means that Bongani will not hand over the crown to the Saturday winner, the Trust will crown the winner because it is our first pageant that we have organised,” Chiwenga was quoted as saying.

Since she had no one to hand over her crown to last year — Dhlakama believed she was still Miss Zimbabwe as she carried out her duties as queen for two years since the contest was not held last year.

Asked how she felt about the Miss Zimbabwe Trust’s decision not to recognise her as the reigning queen, Dhlakama said she was recognised as Miss Zimbabwe at most national events.

“It’s quite puzzling that the Miss Zimbabwe Trust does not recognise me while I am recognised as Miss Zimbabwe at national events.
“At the National Art Merit Awards held in Bulawayo this year, I was a guest there in my capacity as Miss Zimbabwe. I do not know what to make of such statements by the Miss Zimbabwe Trust,” she said.

Dhlakama said she was not moved by the Miss Zimbabwe Trust’s decision not to involve her on their programme.

“I am a mature person with a life and career to pursue. If they do not want to recognise me then it’s up to them. My life will not stop because they do not want to recognise me as Miss Zimbabwe,” she said.

Quizzed why she did not approach the Miss Zimbabwe Trust to offer her services in the crowning of her successor, Dhlakama said she did not have their contacts.

“There was no way in which I could approach the new Miss Zimbabwe Trust team as I really do not know the new team. I do not have their contacts as I last dealt with Kiki Divaris,” she said.

Chiwenga on the other hand said they did not approach Dhlakama for assistance as she was just an ordinary former queen like others who should have approached them if she wanted to be part of the event.

“It was not up to us to approach her as we have many beauty queens that can help the winner of Miss Zimbabwe in her quest at Miss World”.

Asked if they were going to crown the new queen using Dhlakama’s crown, Chiwenga said: “We are not taking the crown from Bongani but we are going to hand over a new crown to Miss Zimbabwe.”

The country’s flagship pageant, which had been dormant for the past three years, makes a return tomorrow at Mabvazuva Village (formerly Coronation Caravan Park) in Harare with a live broadcast on ZBCtv.