Pageant organisers appeal for support

22 August, 2007

FRANCISTOWN - Although there were a lot of doubting Thomases, when 19-year-old Mpule Kwelagobe emerged Miss Universe 1999, her achievement brought pride to the nation sending shockwaves through the whole world.

Batswana were so proud of her achievement that even composed songs, slogans as well as naming their newly born babies Mpule, and for a short while beauty pageants were held in high esteem.

However all that was short lived. The popularity of beauty pageants has waned. As the search for a new Miss Botswana begin, the organisers, despite their commitment and need to improve the pageant, they still decry lack of support from the nation at large.

We are trying very hard to make something of the Miss Botswana pageant but without the nations support it is hopeless. Miss Botswana is a national event, but people think that it is a Botswana Council of Women event.

We need Batswana to rally behind us as well and not only associate themselves with beauty queens after they had won, said one of the organisers, Daisy Botsoba in an interview during an audition in Francistown, recently.

Ms Botsoba said Batswana are the ones who can brand the Miss Botswana pageant adding that if we could encourage those girls who have the qualities of a beauty queen to enter that would help, she said.

She said most people still feel that beauty pageants are a waste of time especially in Botswana, where many still believe that winners of such pageants are cheated and do not get the promised prizes.

Ever since I got involved with the pageant there has never been a time when winners did not get their prices, its just that people do not understand procedures followed in the pageants, she said.

She appealed to girls between the ages of 18 and 23 to come for auditions, adding that they should enter the pageant for a good cause not greed.

The girls should understand that being Miss Botswana is a huge responsibility in that you become the countrys ambassador. They should enter the pageant with the aim of flying the Botswana flag high as well as showing the spirit of volunteerism, she said.

However there are those who still view the pageant as a waste of time and not appealing. I dont see any point in having the pageant because no one benefits from it, we only benefited when Mpule won but really there was and still there is nothing to consider when you think of Miss Botswana, said Naledi Moatswi.

Ms Moatswi also said culture has a major role to play when it comes to beauty pageants as such events were never in Setswana culture taken in high regard.

Concurring with Ms Moatswi, Lucy Dibeela said Miss Botswana does not work out as those who compete are unsuitable.

Wrong people audition for the pageant, and I think the organizers should put more effort in looking for girls. They should look at the Nokia face of Africa arrangement and try doing something of that sort to look for contestants, she said.

She disagreed with the statement that Batswana were not doing enough to support the pageant, attributing the problem to the organizers of the pageant.

The public should feel the Miss Botswana vibe, people should want to get involved with it but the organizers are cold and the pageant is cold too, she said.

However there were those who felt the pageant was a good thing and with time it will improve. BOPA

http://www.gov.bw