The curious case of Miss Zimbabwe

By Mtandazo Dube

HARARE – She is listed on the Miss World website as Zimbabwe’s representative at Miss World 2015, to be held on December 19 in Sanya, China.

Her dreams are that of taking over the crown from Rolene Straus of South Africa, who is the reigning Miss World.

But with all the drama surrounding her reign, Miss Zimbabwe Trust and the Zimbabwean modelling industry, is it even possible to have such a dream?

A dream that is premised on hard work, adequate preparation, a focused mind, a supportive nation and an unblemished record.

One month after a nude pictures scandal rocked the Miss Zimbabwe Trust, led by Mrs Marry Chiwenga, Emily Kachote still faces an uncertain future.

The 25-year-old model, is still awaiting the outcome of a Miss Zimbabwe Trust-instituted investigation into the nude pictures affair. In the meantime, she is not preparing rigorously as is expected of her, for the grand finale, set for the end of the year.

Emily admitted that she is not doing what she should be doing in preparation for Miss World.

“Not really,” she answers when we ask her if she had begun preparing for the Miss World contest, “Most of these things you would have to ask the Trust, they have all the answers.”

The troubled model, who has been threatened with “legal action” if it turns out that she lied to the Trust that she had never posed nude, is set to wait a little longer to know her fate.

After several attempts to talk to Mrs Chiwenga about the model including a visit to her offices in Highlands, Harare her assistant, Terry Bharu finally answered one of her mobile phones.

“I’m sorry Mrs Chiwenga is busy at the moment. She can’t talk to you,” she said. Pressed further on when it would be possible to get an update from either Mrs Chiwenga or any of the Miss Zimbabwe Trust employees, Bharu said it would take weeks.

“After the Miss World Zim finals and the golf tournament, she is busy with other things maybe in two to three weeks time – that is when you can talk to her. Havabatike zvekumhanya,” she said.

When this reporter tried to find out progress made by the Miss Zimbabwe Trust with regards to investigations into the nude picture scandal, Bharu refused to comment saying “you are trying to coerce me to give you half-baked things”.

However, in a previous interview with Miss Zimbabwe Trust spokesperson Tendai Chirau, he revealed said they had interrogated Emily about the issue.

Chirau promised a Press conference, which is yet to be held.

First, Mrs Chiwenga was out of the country and when she returned she was busy with a golf tournament held two weeks back. At the time, the Trust said investigations were being finalised.

Now there is silence.

No mention of the investigations, no mention of who will represent Zimbabwe at Miss World, no mention even of prizes for winners at Miss Zimbabwe.

Efforts to get in touch with Chirau last week were unsuccessful as both his mobile phones were unreachable.

However, information gathered by this publication is that the powers that be at the Miss Zimbabwe Trust believe that there was a conspiracy by some media houses to get rid of Emily.

“The media never liked that girl – you have always wanted to see her back. Hanti maiti akashata (isn’t it you said she was ugly),” said a Miss Zimbabwe Trust insider, who cannot be named.

It is also believed within the Miss Zimbabwe Trust corridors that the pictures do not exist, but what boggles the mind, however, is why the Trust is not absolving Emily of any wrongdoing and let her get on with her life and preparations for Miss World. The Sunday Mail