THE inaugural Face of Kariba beauty pageant drama continues to unfold with more complaints of sexual harassment coming to light yesterday.
WINSTONE ANTONIO OWN CORRESPONDENT
Some models who participated at the pageant opened a can of worms yesterday with fresh allegations of harassment against the organiser Alois Chimbangu hardly a month after the pageant.
Several other models in December alleged that Chimbangu had threatened to disqualify them if they did not submit to his sexual demands.
Another model said Chimbangu boasted that he was the president of Kariba Youths in Business so there was nothing that anyone could do to him as the pageant was endorsed by politicians.
“Alois borrowed from us $100 on the day we were travelling to Kariba and he is yet to pay us back. I called him on Monday and he just stammered without giving me an answer, but I later saw him shopping at a Braeside supermarket,” said another model.
“After the swimming session, Chimbangu came to my tent and kissed me on my hand and said he would give me the crown if we had sex but he said the plan would require me to be quiet about it,” said a model who said she later reported to a lady called Mrs B.
“I believe Mrs B confronted him because he then called for an emergency meeting where he threatened to boot out anyone who felt they had been harassed.”
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Another model complained that they are yet to receive their prizes a week after the promised date.
“Alois is refusing to give us our prizes because the girl she wanted to win did not win the crown. This guy must face the law for what he did to us so as to be an example to those with the same mind set who want to abuse models,” said one of the models.
Initially Chimbangu had promised that the pageant winners would get their prizes on December 28, but as of yesterday he was still non-commital as to when the models would receive their prizes “We are working towards the handover ceremony for the prizes possibly next week, but the event will be held at Chinhoyi University of Technology,” Chimbangu said.
A source who spoke to NewsDay on condition of anonymity said the state of affairs indicates that the organisers were still struggling to put their house in order to give the models their prizes.
“All is not well and the truth is that the organisers are struggling to amass adequate funds and I doubt if the winners will receive their prizes as being claimed,” the source said.
Compounding his woes, Iconic Model Agency founder Milton Makazhu is also contemplating to engage lawyers over the failure by Chimbangu to settle the agency fees.
Makazhu’s agency released 10 models who participated at the pageant for a cost of $150 and Chimbangu is yet to pay for the services rendered.
“Chimbangu is being elusive about paying us our money and we have decided to engage lawyers as the only solution to recover the money we used to purchase the sashes and the crowns,” Makazhu said.
