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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
Miss Rural Zimbabwe which was last held in 2006 is set to make a return next year with preparations for the pageant already underway.

Event organiser, Sipho Mazibuko has indicated that the pageant will be decentralised with provincial licence holders set to scout for models in their respective areas so as to make the event inclusive.

Miss Rural Zimbabwe was founded in 2003 by Mazibuko, a veteran model instructor who recently successfully revived the Miss Summer Strides pageant.

Mazibuko said she was excited to be bringing back the pageant which aims to celebrate rural life and uplift lives of the usually marginalised rural girls.

“Through the pageant, we seek to fulfil the goal of gender equality and development while also discovering and showcasing the abundant talent that the rural girl child has.

“Miss Rural Zimbabwe will be coming with a new format. Strides Models will no longer participate in district searches as this will be done by licence holders who will each acquire provincial licences for the provinces of rural Zimbabwe,” she said.

“Already, two licence holders Connie Moyo and Faith Moyo have been identified for Harare and Matabeleland South provinces.”

To ensure that the pageant’s standards are not compromised, Mazibuko said her production team will monitor work done by the provincial licence holders.

“My production team will step in to assist the provincial finals to make sure the Miss Rural Zimbabwe rules and regulations are met,” she said.

In support of the recently-launched national dress, Mazibuko hopes to work closely with the First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa and her team so that the Miss Rural contestants don the fabric.

Just like she did with Miss Summer Strides, Mazibuko said mental health awareness will once again take centre stage as one of the main objectives of the pageant.

“Strides Models is hosting the Miss Rural Zimbabwe pageant under the Mental Voices Trust. The trust deals with mental health issues and its main aim is to fight stigmatisation and denial faced by Ingutsheni patients and other people with mental health issues. This message will be taken to all corners of rural Zimbabwe.”

The modelling guru also shared plans to have a TV show, Ubuhle Bethu that will capture the models’ journey from the scouting stage to crowning.

“We also have a TV programme Ubuhle Bethu which will follow the journey of the pageant, from the beginning up to the national finals. The TV programme, if all goes well, will give prominence to the national dress should we partner with the First Lady’s initiative.