.MWANZA

By SAM PHIRI –

THE Miss Zambia organiser Elizabeth Mwanza says she is taking a back seat following frustrations from the modeling industry.
Elizabeth lamented that she was clearing debt that was accumulated during the staging of Miss Zambia Jubilee which saw Michelo Malambo emerge winner.
She said most funding had come from her pocket and that the last Miss Zambia project dubbed ‘Zambia at 50’ led her to courts for the first time in her life because of debt.
Elizabeth disclosed that the Ministry of Tourism and Arts which was supposed to be on the pinnacle of funding the pageant had a small budget that could not meet half the requirements.
This year marks the second year of no activity in the pageant world which Elizabeth described as disheartening.
She describes the attitude of most Zambian corporate companies as selfish with less understanding of the significance of the national pageant.
“Look at Zimbabwe South Africa, Nigeria or Botswana how their Governments and corporates attach great  importance to this pageant but here in Zambia, we are failing to sponsor a budget of only K150,000, its frustrating,” she laments.
Meanwhile, reigning Miss Zambia Michelo said it was true that the pageant was underfunded and that Elizabeth had to struggle for her to make it to the Miss World.
She said it had come to be the norm for a Miss Zambia title holder to hold the position for no less than two years; a situation she describes as abnormal.
“I’m not complaining at the moment, although I do hope and pray that I am able to hand over the title and accord someone to be Miss Zambia,” she said.
She said lack of support from Government and the corporate world had deprived the modeling industry of growth.