TOP model Tania Tatenda Aaron yesterday said Zimbabwe’s absence from the Miss Universe global pageant had robbed local models of an opportunity to showcase their beauty on the universal stage as well as effectively market the country as a tourist destination of choice.
Aaron bemoaned the state of affairs after her enquiries made her understand that Zimbabwe was scrapped from the pageant after it was slapped with sanctions by the international community at the behest of the United Kingdom and United States over its bloodstained human rights record.
Aaron said some countries were enjoying the best of the modelling world with a raft of global pageants including Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Supranational and Miss Grand.
Aaron said a pageant like Miss Universe would bring significant benefits to Zimbabwe, including opportunities to market the country and attract investment.
Zimbabwe, however, blew a golden opportunity to have the sanctions lifted after President Emmerson Mnangagwa swept to power on the back of a military coup that ejected the late former strongman Robert Mugabe from office in November 2017.
