Online Reporter
Gift Moyo [email protected]
The Mrs Universe Zimbabwe pageant is set to make its debut on August 15, bringing together married women from across the country to compete for the inaugural Mrs Universe Zimbabwe crown.
The senior pageant has been licensed by the global Mrs Universe organisation and brought to Zimbabwe by reigning Mrs Universe Africa 2025 Sibonelo Khupe, who will serve as its director.
Khupe said the idea was inspired by her experience representing Africa at the Mrs Universe competition in the Philippines, where she witnessed first-hand, the opportunities the platform could create for women.
“I am the reigning Mrs Universe 2025. When I travelled to the Philippines to represent the continent, I experienced first-hand the kind of platform Mrs Universe can create for women. It opened my eyes to the possibilities, and I began thinking about how we could bring that same opportunity home to Zimbabwean women.
“I saw it as a platform that could help Zimbabwean women grow, gain exposure and expand their influence, both locally and internationally. That experience inspired me to acquire the Mrs Universe licence and bring the platform home.
“But from the beginning, I knew that I didn’t want this to be just another beauty pageant. It needed to have a purpose. For me, this is not simply about putting women on a stage. It is about creating a platform where women’s voices, experiences and contributions can be recognised and where that influence can be used to address issues affecting women in our communities,” she said.
Khupe said the inaugural pageant would place greater emphasis on purpose, advocacy and impact than conventional beauty pageant standards.
“Advocacy is at the heart of this pageant. We are looking for women with powerful stories and women who are making a difference in their own spheres of influence. We want to hear from women who are building families, careers, businesses, communities, and in their own way, contributing to the building of the nation itself.
“We look at character, confidence, communication, leadership, and most importantly, what a woman stands for and the impact she is making. Our partnership with the Affluent & Influential Society also reinforces that message.
“As AIS continues to push fibroids awareness and conversations around women’s health, we want our queens to understand the power of using their own platforms to amplify important causes.
“Every woman comes with a different story, and we want to give those stories a platform. The crown should represent purpose, not just beauty,” she said.
Khupe said securing the national licence on a long-term basis was important in ensuring that the pageant becomes an established annual platform rather than a once-off event.
“We have secured the Mrs Universe Zimbabwe licence on a long-term basis with the Mrs Universe platform specifically to ensure continuity. Our intention is to build this into an established annual platform for Zimbabwean women and to continue growing it year after year.
“We also want the work to continue beyond the annual crowning event. Through initiatives such as collaboration with the Affluent & Influential Society, we can maintain conversations around advocacy, women’s health, leadership, education and empowerment throughout the year.
“Fibroids awareness is one of the important conversations we are currently driving, but ultimately we want to build a platform that continuously responds to issues affecting women,” she said.
With the inaugural queen set to be crowned on Saturday, Khupe said winning the title would mark the beginning of a year-long journey of advocacy and community engagement.
“The journey really begins after the crown. The winner will have the honour of representing Zimbabwe on the international stage at the Mrs Universe event in Sri Lanka this October. She will carry not only the title, but also the stories and aspirations of Zimbabwean women onto an international platform.
“Beyond the international competition, we want her to be actively involved in advocacy, community initiatives, media engagements, and other opportunities where she can use her platform to make a meaningful difference.
“An important part of that will be continuing to amplify our ‘Breaking the Silence on Fibroids’ campaign alongside the Affluent & Influential Society. We want our queen to help take that conversation beyond the pageant, into women’s spaces, media platforms, and other initiatives where women can be encouraged to talk about their experiences, become better informed, and seek professional medical advice where necessary.
“So the crown is not the destination, it is the beginning of a year of responsibility, advocacy, and impact,” she said.
Khupe said the inaugural event would seek to offer audiences more than the glamour traditionally associated with pageantry, with advocacy and women’s empowerment taking centre stage.
“People can expect much more than a traditional pageant. Advocacy is going to be at the centre of everything we do. We are celebrating every woman who takes that ramp because, in truth, these women are already winning in their different spheres of influence. They are mothers, professionals, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and women who are making an impact in different ways.
“A major part of that purpose is our fibroids awareness campaign. Together with the Affluent & Influential Society, we are using this platform to help break the silence surrounding fibroids.
“Too many women suffer quietly or feel uncomfortable speaking about issues affecting their reproductive health. We want to use the visibility of Mrs Universe Zimbabwe to help normalise these conversations and encourage women to become more informed about their health.
“Of course, there will be the glamour, fashion and entertainment that people expect from a pageant, but at the heart of the evening will be something much bigger — celebrating women and using influence for purpose,” she said.
For pageant enthusiasts unable to attend the event in person, Khupe said the proceedings would be livestreamed across the Mrs Universe Zimbabwe social media platforms, allowing audiences to follow the inaugural crowning ceremony online.
