Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
INSIZA district’s finest model, Nomatter Silibele Mpofu, was on Saturday evening crowned the queen during the Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe pageant provincial competitions held in Beitbridge.
She beat 12 others to the throne, while in the male category, Descent Moyo from Mangwe district outclassed four others to claim the Mr Rural Zimbabwe Matabeleland South title.
The Miss Rural pageant was making a comeback after a 15-year break. Mental Voices Trust is now organising the pageant across the country.
Mpofu managed to shrug off competition from Ntobeko Moyo and Itumeleng Tshuma, both from Mangwe district, who came out as first and second princesses, respectively.
Handsome Mathuthu from UMzingwane district came second in the male category.
In an interview after her victory, Mpofu said: “I aim to raise the province’s flag high at the national platform.
“During my reign, I will advocate for the education of the girl child. We must be confident and support each other as women so that we may move forward with our quest to address gender related disparities in the communities we live in.”
Moyo commended the organisers of the pageant for promoting a dream of the rural child.
“This is a welcome event, and it was my first attempt at modelling. I want to thank the organisers of this pageant for ensuring children from rural areas also get the opportunity to showcase their talent,” said Moyo.
Event organiser, Sipho Mazibuko, said the pageant’s primary objective is to provide rural youth with equal opportunities for exposure, akin to their urban counterparts, who participate in renowned pageants like Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss Earth.
She said the models had been drawn from Beitbridge, Bulilima, Mangwe, Matobo, Insiza, UMzingwane and Gwanda district.
“We are happy with what we have done so far and the support we are getting from different stakeholders,” said Mazibuko.
