adminBongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
THE Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Professor Jonathan Moyo and United Nations Gender Champion Albert Nyathi have come out in support of Miss World Zimbabwe, Emily Kachote saying stripping her of the crown over nude pictures will reduce the pageant into a farce. The beauty queen faces possible dethronement after her nude pictures were leaked to the public early this week through social networking site -WhatsApp. She is expected to meet the organisers of the national pageant – Miss Zimbabwe Trust in Harare today where her fate will be decided.
Her chances of retaining the crown hang in the balance because the Miss World Zimbabwe regulations clearly state that posing nude, being in a relationship and any behaviour categorised as immoral by the Miss Zimbabwe Trust is grounds for instant disqualification or dethronement.
Responding to a tweet on the latest scandal which has rocked the Miss Zimbabwe Trust, Professor Moyo said beauty pageant organisers should desist from worrying about models taking nude pictures as they were fighting a losing battle.
“Beauty pageants still worrying about nude pictures will only attract beasts. All beauties have nude selfies!” tweeted the Professor yesterday.
Nyathi, who serves on the United Nations Women Africa UNiTE Campaign, Regional Creative Artist Advisory Council in support of ending Violence against Women, was also of the opinion that Kachote should not be dethroned, saying she has suffered enough emotional trauma due to the pictures leak.
He appealed to the Miss Zimbabwe Trust to instead, support Kachote. “I’d like to appeal to the Miss Zimbabwe Trust not to dethrone Emily as she needs our support as a nation. She has and is still suffering emotional abuse from the leak,” said Nyathi.
“It’s the second time I gather it’s happening (leaking of nude pictures) as last year Thabiso Phiri was subjected to the same issue. We don’t want to embarrass our girl child by dethroning and disowning her after this whole debacle. We should stand by Emily in this trying time of her life.”
The dub poet said instead of putting all the blame on Kachote, people needed to identify the person/people who had leaked the photos and establish their motive.
“I felt pained when I heard reports of the nudes circulating on social media. I don’t know if they’re photo shopped or not, but one has to question the intentions of the person/people who supposedly leaked them,” said Nyathi.
He urged women to unite and demonstrate like they did when another woman was stripped by touts for wearing a miniskirt in Harare last year.
“I think women should take to the streets like they did with that woman who was stripped by touts in Harare. They should make their voices heard in the condemnation of this issue as it’s as bad as the miniskirt issue,” he said.
Nyathi said people should be cautious as there are predators in the world who strive on destroying the girl child, something that motivated him to pen one of his poems, My Daughter.
“I wrote the poem My Daughter, giving warnings that there were men out there who’re predators, who prey on the unsuspecting girl child. Who has the right to put the nude pictures on social media? That’s emotional abuse and as Zimbabweans, we should unite against this violence against women and the girl child,” said Nyathi.
Online Reporter