Mystery, cover-ups surrounds Miss World Zimbabwe indecent picture

IN a situation similar to the Thabiso Phiri debacle last year, reigning Miss World Zimbabwe Emily Kachote's indecent pictures have still not surfaced on social media or in newspapers.

Miss Zimbabwe Trust spokesperson Tendai Chirau says the pictures that are circulating on social media are fake, an assertion validated by the reporter and editor of the paper that broke the news early last week. However, this publication has the images with Miss World Zimbabwe in her birth suit sleeping on the carpet.

However, Kachote's crown still hangs in the balance as she confirmed to H-Metro and to Miss Zimbabwe Trust that indeed she had posed undressed and that the pictures were circulating.

"The fact that she confirmed the existence of the pictures when she was confronted by reporters makes her case weak. It means that she lied to us when we were scouting for models and thus she is in breach of contract. A hearing has been set for Friday (last Friday). We will only know after that disciplinary hearing what measures are being taken," said Chirau.

Kachote will get to know her fate this week when the Miss Zimbabwe Trust is expected to make its ruling.

However, the recurrent leaking of indecent pictures featuring victors of the Miss World Zimbabwe in the past two editions has torched a storm as various schools of thought submitted divergent views as to what is behind this anomaly that is threatening the integrity of the local modelling industry.

Last year's Miss Zimbabwe, Phiri, was dethroned after her indecent pictures were leaked allegedly by her ex-boyfriend a well-known Harare socialite.

Interestingly, on the night of the pageant held at Mabvazuva, the Harare socialite was spotted rallying behind Miss Phiri only for indecent pictures to leak barely a fortnight later.

This year's edition has been haunted by the same ghost. The timing of the leakages leaves a lot to be desired, though.

In the latest leak, fingers were again pointed at the Harare socialite on social networks, although, the authenticity of the speculative claims could not be immediately substantiated by time of going to print.

This was owing to relentless efforts by this publication to reach the Harare socialite while the "victim" protected the name of her supposed ex-boyfriend in a development that boggles the mind as to why she would protect her predator.

Her circle of friends also remained mum and said they had no knowledge of the ex-boyfriend in question.

The indecent pictures reportedly first appeared in a WhatsApp group known as Boyz Dze Tonaz, which is administered by a clique led by veteran entertainment practitioner and clothing label founder Lloyd "Papa Lodza" Jiro.

Interestingly when contacted for comment Papa Lodza professed ignorance of the whole saga.

"Do those pictures and videos even exist?" asked Papa Lodza rhetorically.

The coincidence that the leakage of indecent pictures of reigning queens started trending after Mrs Marry Chiwenga took over the stewardship of the pageant has prompted some industry players to submit that there might a third force bent on discrediting the tenure of Mrs Chiwenga at the helm of the pageant.

Former model Alima Kasuso said the leak of the pictures might be sponsored.

"It can't be a coincidence, I think there is someone out there doing all they can to discredit Mrs Chiwenga. Why is that the images of the male partners do not appear on the videos and pictures, it's a deliberate ploy to tarnish the image of the whole pageant and reduce it to a circus," she said.

Modelling Industry Association spokesperson Wilbert Rukato, however, dismissed such talk as farfetched.

"Their selection process is wrong. They are going for the wrong people - hardened clubbers and socialites pretending to be models - she is simply reaping what she sowed," said Rukato.

Photography and multimedia expert Alvin Moyo said the advent of social media is the cause of these social ills not only in the modelling industry but the cancer has permeated the whole social strata no matter what colour or creed.

Meanwhile, some sociologists believe these recurrent leaks of indecent pictures within the modelling industry give credence to traditional beliefs that the industry is un-African.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said police were investigating the matter but added that dealing with cases involving the social media was giving the police serious headaches.

"According to laws of this country it is difficult to regulate social media. It is difficult to pinpoint where the pictures originated and even if someone if fingered they can simply say, in court, that their phone was stolen," she said.