adminRebecca Kabaya Arts Reporter
After winning Miss Beverly Hills last year, Chitungwiza beauty Tanaka Mushongani entered the Miss Zimbabwe Schools contest this year and claimed the crown on Saturday evening at Holiday Inn Hotel.
The 17-year-old, who is doing her form four at Beverly Hills College, walked away with the top prize of a trip to Europe to represent Zimbabwe on the international platform, one-year scholarship, and hampers from Metro Peech and TelOne.
Mushongani shrugged off competition from 20 other beauties drawn from different schools in the country with Chipo Nyanungu (18) from Mount Pleasant High being crowned first princess and Miss Personality as well.
Aaliyah Westerhof (16) from Girls High School, Harare, was crowned second princess. Both princesses received Metro Peech and TelOne hampers.
Mushongani said she was really shocked and at the same time excited that she won the pageant.
“I wasn’t expecting it. I’m shivering with excitement. Being the former Msiss Beverly Hills College it means that I have managed to represent my school well.
“Now that I am the Queen of Miss Zim Schools my goal is to empower the girl child through projects. I want to be a modelling sponsor, helping the less privileged ones and those who are in the rural areas to pursue their modelling careers; they need help,” she said.
Mushongani’s victory stunned former Miss Zim Schools Daphine Kaseke who surrendered the crown to the new queen.
Miss Zim Schools licence holder Zinzile Mantiziba, as a child activist and founder of Simudziranayi Community Organisation, said she was happy and satisfied with the results that came out.
“I am confident that the judges made the right decisions in picking the top three. However, I would like to thank all the girls for working so hard and having faith in themselves, that was amazing. I would like to thank our sponsors for making this event possible together with the parents,” she said.
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