UK-based beauty is new Miss Zimbabwe

UK-based beauty is new Miss Zimbabwe

TOP FIVE: Triumphant Muvirimi flanked by her runners up and sectional winners, Francisca Munyaka (Bulawayo) who won the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe People's Choice title, and Karen Chitsiko (Mutare) who took the title of Miss Personality

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By Torby Chimhashu

SHE is the reigning Miss Global International, and now Cynthia Muvirimi also answers to the title of Miss Tourism Zimbabwe after winning the annual pageant in Harare on Saturday night.

Wiping off tears, the United Kingdom-based beauty appeared genuinely moved by her triumph.

She said: “It's a shock. I was not expecting to win. This is really something that I am going to treasure for a long time. Coming from the Diaspora and winning the title was not something on my mind.

"This is victory for everyone who has supported me including those in the UK. The title is a challenge, which I am prepared to deal with. I will do my best during my reign.”

The impressive and charming model collected a cool Z$15 billion cash prize and Z$50 billion worth of other rewards including 1000 litres of fuel.

She beat 29 other hopefuls including her first and second princesses -- Sibusisiwe Dube and Evril Mhembere -- in a pageant that ended in the early hours of Sunday morning.

For many years, the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant had become a routine event for local-based models who took turns to grace the winners’ podium.

In few instances that models from outside the country came close to being winners, the best they could do was to finish in either the top five or at best, second princess.

All that changed Saturday as it became clear that Muvirimi and reigning Miss Zimbabwe UK Sindiso Muhlwa, who squeezed into the top 10, were not cut from the same cloth as the Zimbabwe-based models.

The duo exhibited confidence, grace, attitude and lots of poise on stage and handled the occasional irrational behaviour from the crowd with consummate ease.

In short, Muvirimi's show was swashbuckling!

Her best moment came in the semis when she picked a very difficult question. The question was tough as it related to how she would market Zimbabwe and change the perception of the international media if she won the crown.

Thanks to her unrivalled exposure in the first world and perhaps some knowledge of the media, her answer was quite simple, yet well received: "I would dwell on the positives and use the same media as the platform for changing those perceptions.”

The small but appreciative crowd united in rupturous applause; the moment coming just after Muhlwa had messed up a very simple question that betrayed her in the dying moments of the pageant.

MISS ZIMBABWE 2007 Cynthia Muvirimi

While it was a better showing by organisers, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), who put together a good event only marred by poor turnout, the judging panel raised some eyebrows.

The inclusion of Dynamos coach David Mandigora on the adjudicators’ list was surprising.

"Yogi" did not know what was really going on there. While other judges were busy scribbling notes, the Premiership title winning Dynamos coach appeared to be dazed by the beautiful models.

In many segments, he had to be nudged by a colleague to do his paperwork.

The ZTA fell into the trap that the Miss Zimbabwe Trust failed to rid itself of in previous competitions -- choosing judges based on popularity.

At one time, in many of its bucketful of blunders, the Miss Zimbabwe Trust included flashy businessman Phillip Chiyangwa and former Tennis Zimbabwe president Paul Chingoka, on its judging panel.

A challenge that immediately calls for addressing by Muvirimi is how she is going to shuttle between the UK and Harare during her reign.

The ZTA boss Karikoga Kaseke believes it will not be a problem. He said: "We will look into it and find the best way of making our queen serve her country and do her ambassadorial duties without problems.”

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