We will sue Miss Zimbabwe: Chiwenga

By Sharon Muguwu

HARARE – Miss Zimbabwe Trust chairperson Mary Chiwenga says they will not hesitate to sue recently crowned national beauty queen Emily Kachote if investigations prove that she lied about the existence of her nude pictures.

Kachote’s nude pictures were leaked via social media last week in violation of a contract the new Miss Zimbabwe signed before the national pageant began prompting Chiwenga’s Trust to institute investigations.

“I am yet to talk to her. We will take a legal action if she is found guilty.I haven’t spoken to her yet on what exactly we will do,” said the Miss Zimbabwe Trust chairperson who is married to Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantine Chiwenga.

“My understanding is that she admitted having those pictures but I want her to say it to me herself. What I want to do is sit down with her and let her speak to me and we will make our decisions from there. I will call her on Monday.”

Chiwenga insisted that there is no room for leniency.

“She signed the contract and she knows what she agreed on. She knows if it’s something she did then she is in trouble. We will take legal action as she signed a contract stating that she did not have any nude pictures anywhere,” she said.

She added that there was nothing they could do against Tafadzwa Prosper Bvunzawabaya who allegedly leaked the nude pictures.

“If someone decided to date or they have dated someone it’s not up to us to tell them not to. If indeed it’s the same guy who has been leaking pictures of models, then she should have known better. We cannot do anything to him as a Trust, but we will deal with Emily, she is the one we have a contract with,” she said.

Asked on the damage they had suffered as a brand, Chiwenga said they are still okay.

“Our brand is okay, it’s just unfortunate that these things happen. As you know I was away last week and a sponsor called me from South Africa, asking if I was aware. I told them yes and we would deal with it as soon as I got back,” said Chiwenga.

“As a brand we are still okay, as long as we maintain discipline our sponsors are okay. It’s the same as sport, if a player is found to be doping the prizes and titles are withdrawn. That’s what we will do if she is found guilty. Sponsors only lose confidence when you don’t take the appropriate action.”

It is illegal to circulate pornographic material or be found in passion of such by the laws of Zimbabwe.

If Emily decides to sue, she will sue the culprit on the basis of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act.

According to Part IV of the Censorship and Entertainments Control Act, Section 13 it is illegal to be found in possession of naked material.

“13: Prohibition of importation, production and dissemination of undesirable publications, pictures, statues and records

(1) No person shall—(a) import, print, publish, manufacture, make or produce, distribute, display, exhibit or sell or offer or keep for sale any publication, picture, statue or record; or…which is undesirable or which has, under section fourteen or fifteen, been declared by the Board to be undesirable:

…(1a) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level seven or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.[inserted by Act 22 of 2001, with effect from the 10th September, 2002.]

(2) A publication, picture, statue or record shall be deemed to be undesirable if it or any part thereof—
(a) is indecent or obscene or is offensive or harmful to public morals; or (b) is likely to be contrary to the interests of defence, public safety, public order, the economic interests of the State or public health. Daily News