‘I won’t reveal reasons for stepping down’
By Sharon Muguwu and Vasco Chaya
HARARE – Former Miss Zimbabwe 2014, Thabiso Phiri says she will not reveal details that caused her to step down as the pageant’s queen even if someone pointed a gun at her.
“Write what you want and I have no comment. Even if you come holding a gun, I won’t reveal the reasons behind my stepping down as Miss Zimbabwe 2014.
“As I have said before, this has to do with my privacy and it is personal,” Phiri told the Daily News.
Efforts to get comment from Phiri’s estranged boyfriend, Prosper Tafadzwa Bvunzawabaya, who is accused of leaking the model’s nude photos, were fruitless although the Daily News managed to get hold of his brother, Ticha.
Both Prosper and Ticha jointly run a flower business.
Ticha said his brother was not interested at all in giving his comment to the media. “Write what you want, he is not going to talk to you,” he said.
But fresh details have emerged on why Phiri stepped down with her estranged boyfriend, Prosper featuring in most probable theories.
While Phiri maintains she stepped down due to “personal reasons” the Daily News has learnt that her boyfriend was bitter and sought to fix her after the model allegedly double crossed him with another man.
A visit to Prosper and Ticha’s shop by the Daily News proved fruitless as he (Prosper) was not there and the lady in attendance proved too hostile.
Sources allege that Prosper resorted to exposing his 22-year-old University of Zimbabwe law student girlfriend after suspecting her of double crossing him with a ‘‘top dog’’ whom he could not tackle head on.
He then sought to embarrass the beauty queen by circulating Phiri’s nude pictures.
While the purported nude pictures of Phiri are not in the public domain, they are circulating on people’s mobile phones although they are appearing in different shapes and sizes raising doubts over their authenticity.
After stepping down Phiri was replaced by Catherine Makaya as Miss Zimbabwe 2014 following a rerun for the title on Tuesday.
Her two princesses did not participate as they just sat there following the proceedings, and revealed that they were content with the positions they currently hold. On the day of the re-run Phiri was seen sobbing quietly as she followed proceedings.
Earlier, Miss Zimbabwe Trust chairperson Mary Chiwenga described the sudden turn of events as a huge setback to the Miss Zimbabwe title ahead of Miss World pageant.
“While the Miss Zimbabwe Trust regrets this turn of events after putting so much resources into the event leading to her being crowned, the circumstances leading to her stepping down are a prerequisite to both Miss Zimbabwe and Miss World pageants.”
The pageant held in June cost a record half a million dollars. Daily News
