LATEST: The new Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, Chipo Mandiudza has been dethroned after her nudes leaked. She has been the queen for just two days.
“It is with humility and regret that I step down and cede my reign as Miss Tourism Zimbabwe 2021. The past two days have been both a win and lesson for me. I thank you for the honour that had been bestowed upon me but I am stepping down because of bad publicity that I feel will further hinder both the MYZ brand and mine, therefore I apologise to the organisers and Zimbabwe at large, for the inconvenience caused. As I step down, I will continue focusing on my studies as a marketing management student and my modelling career,” said Chipo in a letter
But according to the model’s manager Godwill Tasunga there were no nude pictures but screen grabs from a raunchy display on Instagram Live by Chipo.
“We would like to nullify the false nude picture allegations because there are no nude pictures of Miss Chipo Mandiudza. Miss Chipo Mandiudza was cornered and manipulated into writing a resignation letter, a protective stunt to the license.
On Tuesday 19 October, Chipo Mandiudza was crowned as Miss Tourism Zimbabwe (MTZ) 2021.
Her crowning was not accompanied by the usual fanfare that is usually the hallmark of past coronations.
This on its own, caused a flutter amongst those with an interest in the crown. How had Mandiudza been chosen, some detractors quipped, after all, they had never seen her walk the ramp.
The organisers were quick to fire back. This was a coronation taking place in a year in which, only a few months earlier, a pandemic had grounded the whole nation, with most events cancelled or postponed.
With all things taken into consideration, Miss Tourism was lucky it had found its queen at last and as the reigning queen, she was meant to represent Zimbabwe at a global pageant on 15 December.
However, two days later, Mandiudza’s reign came to an end that was even more unceremonious than her crowning.
She was resigning, a statement she released said, after the emergence of nude pictures, now seemingly the cemetery on which many modelling careers are routinely buried. No one has brought evidence of Mandiudza’s nude pictures as yet.
“It is with humility and regret that I step down and cede my reign as Miss Tourism Zimbabwe 2021. The past two days have been both a win and lesson for me.
I thank you for the honour that had been bestowed upon me but I am stepping down because of bad publicity that I feel will further hinder both the MYZ brand and mine, therefore I apologise to the organisers and Zimbabwe at large, for the inconvenience caused. As I step down, I will continue focusing on my studies as a marketing management student and my modelling career,” the letter Mandiudza wrote read.
However, a few days after she was dethroned, Mandiudza has made a U-turn.
According to the model’s manager Godwill “G-Factor” Tasunga there were no nude pictures in the first place, with screen grabs from a raunchy display on Instagram Live by Mandiudza used as the smoking gun to relieve her of her crown.
“We would like to nullify the false nude picture allegations because there are no nude pictures of Miss Chipo Mandiudza. Miss Chipo Mandiudza was cornered and manipulated into writing a resignation letter, a protective stunt to the license.
The MTZ is an event meant to empower women not turn them into monsters for behaviour that is unquestionable in men yet judged and demonised in women.
She made decisions in her past that on the face of it seem terrible yet the MTZ forget that she is but a young woman living in the age of social media where youth articulate their hopes and dreams. There are no sacred cows nor are there any saints in the modelling industry. And the MTZ board should be called out for its failure to support and protect a poor young woman from the poor heartland of Zimbabwe’s second city,” he said.
According to Tasunga, the MTZ organisers failed to protect Mandiudza who was subject to intense cyber scrutiny and criticism after her triumph.
Chipo
state media
