BY KIMBERLY KARIATI
FOUNDER and organiser of Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe, Sipho Mazibuko, yesterday said the search for this year’s king and queen will commence on November 22 ahead of the grand finale scheduled for December 22 in Zvishavane.
The veteran modelling instructor, Mazibuko, who is also the founder of Strides Modelling, has unveiled the provincial pageant’s licence holders.
In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style, Mazibuko said Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe was designed to market the country’s culture and also promote a number of local players such as designers, musicians, photographers and hairdressers.
“The pageant is aimed at uplifting, preserving Zimbabwean culture and tradition and also celebrating the nation’s diverse culture through clothing, dance, language and music at the same time promoting rural tourism and marketing brand Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination,” she said.
“Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe is a platform created with the prime purpose to protect, preserve and encourage the Zimbabwean rural girl and boy against negative dimensions of modernism.”
She said the pageant would be wholly Zimbabwean which showcases local clothes and designs.
“We do not want anything that is foreign. We are calling for sponsors as we want a crown made from gold and diamonds.
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“We do not want a foreign crown. We want a wholly Zimbabwean crown for our queen,” she said.
Mazibuko said she decided to include Mr Rural Zimbabwe in order to empower boys in the rural areas and also create a gender-balanced pageant.
“A fortnight ago we launched the return of the pageant which has evolved and has become gender sensitive.
“The boys were asking me why they were not included in the pageant and I thought it was better to include them to support gender equality,” she said.
“We were not inclusive, we have our Mr Stride Prosper Msamanyada, who is going to help us as we move into rural areas.”
She said the provincial search for Mr and Miss Rural Zimbabwe would take place in Bulilima district in Matabeleland South province on November 22, with Ethel Mpezeni representing Mashonaland East, Gaudencia Velani (Manicaland and Mashonaland Central), Mavis Koslek (Midlands), Duduzile Phakati (Matabeleland North), Mazibuko (Matabeleland South), with the reigning queen for Miss Rural Nyasha Phiri representing Masvingo.
- Follow Kimberly on twitter @lizellekimkari
