The Sunday News
FORMER Miss Zimbabwe Bongani Dhlakama has expressed disappointment over the decision by the Miss Zimbabwe 2014 organisers to ignore her in the pageant’s proceedings.
The former beauty queen says she was disregarded so much that she was not invited to attend the prestigious event, which was held in Harare on 14 June.
Speaking to Sunday Leisure, Dhlakama expressed displeasure as she was of the idea that the team would appreciate and acknowledge that she was the last queen before the current one.
“I was not present at the event. I was not invited and I cannot pay $300 for a single show. To me that is being extravagant,” she said.
It is usually the norm that a former queen is awarded the opportunity to crown her successor but this tradition was not observed in the recently held event.
In most beauty pageants, former queens shed tears of joy when handing over their crowns and deliver speeches, but this was not the case with Dhlakama.
“Well, I always imagined that I would crown my successor. It is part of the experience as a queen. It really hurts that I was ignored but my life will not be affected. I am over it,” she said.
“I really do not know why I was sidelined. According to the Trust, this is an inaugural event and they did not recognise me as the queen because my term ended last year.
“It hurts, I do not want to lie that it has shaken my esteem and confidence but I have a great support system. I have also realised that this incident should not tear me down but instead refine me into a stronger person.”
The Miss Zimbabwe organising patron, Mary Mubaiwa-Chiwenga dismissed Dhlakama’s sentiments, saying she was entitled to her feelings as the Miss Zimbabwe pageant has woken up to a different tune.
“I cannot blame her for that. She is entitled to her own feelings. About handing over the crown, we sat down as a team and resolved that we as the Trust will hand over the crown. She cannot complain about it because you cannot be queen for two years. She herself knows that,” Mubaiwa-Chiwenga said.
“If she had wanted to be part of us she should have called us. About invitations, she was not on the list and therefore she could not attend.”
