A film and acting student with the University of Cape Town, Chiedza Mhosva (22), was on Saturday night crowned Miss World Zimbabwe 2017 at a glitzy star-studded ceremony held at Borrowdale Brooke Golf and Country Club in Harare.
Miss World Zimbabwe queen Chiedza Mhosva flanked by first princess Evelyn Njelele and second princess Kundai Claire SomeraiThe Mashonaland Central-bred Mhosva, who is signed with Dekan Model Management of Cape Town, shrugged off stiff competition from a bevy of 15 other beauties to take over the crown from Annie-Grace Mutambu.
She will represent Zimbabwe at the esteemed Miss World in China on November 18.
As the queen, Mhosva is set to receive $20 000 and a car, while first princess Evelyn Njelele (23) will pocket $10 000 and second princess Kundai Claire Somerai (21) and Miss Personality, Tariro Angelica Zvizvinji (23), will each receive $5 000 at a prize-giving ceremony set to be held after a fortnight.
All the 16 finalists were also promised $1 000 each, by the pageant’s partner, South Africa-based business mogul, Justice Maphosa of Bigtime Strategic Group.
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| Chiedza Mhosva (22) Crowned New Miss World Zim |
“First of all, I am going to take my mother out. She has been supportive and worked really hard for me all in my life. With that money I will then also pay my tuition,” she said.
With some viewing modelling with negative lances, Mhosva advised aspiring models to register with reputable modelling agencies.
“I would want to advise aspiring models to join professional and reputable modelling agencies as well as enter pageants that have respectable names,” she said.
The country’s premier beauty pageant that was beamed live on national television and ended in the early hours of yesterday was nothing short of elegant with the models also complementing the glamour with refined exhibitions.
The beauty showcase was held under the theme, Celebrating Beauty Through the Eyes of Our Late Icon, Kiki Divaris as a tribute to the late modelling guru’s contribution to the growth of the local modelling industry.
The first segment of the pageant saw the models taking to the ramp dressed in swim wear, while in the second and final segments, they were dressed in ethnic and evening wear, courtesy of South Africa-based Zimbabwean designer Spyros Villiotis.
The judges panel was made up of chief judge Danny Marandure (ZOL Zimbabwe chief executive officer), together with former model who is also Kuwadzana Member of Parliament, Betty Kaseke, Martin Kushambadope, David Zhou and Kamal Khalfan, with the auditors coming from Grant Thornton.
While some critics expressed mixed feelings on different social media platforms about the contestants’ attractiveness, pageant spokesperson Tendai Chirau defended the models saying they all met the requisite standards for the pageant, adding that they were confident Mhosva will do the nation proud at the Miss World in China.
Guests were entertained by a star-studded line up of performers headlined by South African music star Ringo Madlingozi, Alick Macheso and Zimdancehall chanter Killer T.
