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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent 

THE search for Miss Tourism Zimbabwe (MTZ) 2019 is on with pageant organisers calling on all aspiring beauties to attend auditions in their respective provinces.

Midlands province will kickstart the auditions on Friday in Kwekwe at King Solomons Hotel with the casting being for models from Gokwe, Kwekwe and surrounding areas.

The auditions will move to Gweru on Saturday and will be conducted at the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority offices for models from the City of Progress, Shurugwi and surrounding areas.

Lastly, on Sunday the MTZ scouting team will move to Zvishavane at Pote Hill Hotel for the search for beauties from Zvishavane, Mberengwa and surrounding areas. On all days, auditions will commence at 10AM ending at 3PM. 

Midlands MTZ licence holder, Mavis Koslek, said from the auditions, they will shortlist about 12 models who will go on to compete at the Midlands provincial finale to be held in May. 

“We want to have at least 12 models that will contest at the provincial final hence we’re casting our net wide. We want the pageant to be really competitive,” said Koslek.

Those planning to audition are required to adhere to a dress code of a black dress/jean, heels and white t-shirt.

A RTGS$20 administration fee will also be required.

Other requirements for the models are that they should be between 18 to 24 years in age and be at least 1.67 metres tall. 

“Apart from the height and age, models should have a passport and a national ID. Another requirement is they mustn’t have been married whether by law or any other ceremony and should have not given birth or known to be pregnant at any given point.”

Koslek said before entering the pageant, models should be cleared by their families to participate. 

“We don’t want to have models that come and participate without their parents/guardians’ knowledge. Some run away from home to participate in pageants, a situation we want to curb,” she said.

From the Midlands, the auditions will move to Manicaland where former Miss Zimbabwe Caroline Marufu-Buwu (who is the licence holder there) will take charge.

The auditions will be held at Elliot Hotel on April 27.

The province will try to find another Miss Tourism Zimbabwe queen after a girl from the province, lawyer Tafadzwa Jachira, was crowned last year.