BY FREEMAN MAKOPA
THE winner of the Miss Zimbabwe-US 2019 set to be held during this year’s edition of ZimExpo in Chicago, United States, will clinch an opportunity to represent Zimbabwe at the Miss International pageant set for November 12 in Tokyo, Japan.
ZimExpo and Miss International Zimbabwe director, Anesu Manjengwa, told NewsDay Life & Style from her base in the United States that the objective of this year’s edition is to celebrate 20 years of service in North America and the United Kingdom.
The expo, set for May 25 at Doubletree Hotel in Chicago, will run under the theme: Networking for business and social prosperity.
“The objective of this year’s event is to celebrate 20 years of service in North America and the UK. We were hoping to have companies from Zimbabwe come and exploit our platform and engage with the US diasporans, but the cash crunch and liquidity challenges in Zimbabwe have not been helpful,” he said.
“Previously, we have had companies like Barclays Bank, Mighty Movies and Moonlight and, at one point, the Ministry of Education was also represented.”
Manjengwa said ZimExpo is set to bankroll the event with cash prizes, although they are also waiting for other potential sponsors.
“Each year, we have different prizes based on sponsors that will have come forward. We also have a cash prize sponsored by ZimExpo. We are delighted by the increase in the numbers of participants registering for the pageant and as we speak, we have about a dozen models that have registered to participate. Most of these are college students and it is our hope that all will be able to attend despite pressure from colleges,” she said.
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“This year we are having Nicodimus Mutize, aka Jah Signal and Cindy Munyavi, both local Zimbabwean artists and Shastro who is now based in Indiana,” he said.
He said ZimExpo’s aim was to support “the Zimbabwean brand”, provide a platform for Zimbabweans and their friends to socialise and interact.
Manjengwa said Zimbabweans in the US requiring consular services would be assisted on Friday and Saturday as the Zimbabwe embassy would also be represented.
Besides the pageant, the expo will also host a fashion and a music show.
Munyavi and Jah Signal will perform at the pageant.
