She revealed that the situation was so bad that her mother nearly pulled her off the contest because of lack of support from compatriots.
“We celebrate only when we win. When I went to Trinidad, my mother threatened to pull me out, moments before the contest. No one was willing to sponsor me,” she said.
Mpule was speaking at a colourful breakfast meeting co-organised by UNFPA and Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA). The meeting was meant to bring young people, especially celebrities together and share experiences and sell the country abroad. It attracted a good crowd from the media and the business world.
Kwelagobe said that Monty Chiepe and his company made her participation at the Miss Universe pageant possible. Chiepe is the managing director of Geoflux Botswana. Mpule said that the lack patriotism was manifested when she left for the contest because there were few people at the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport to bid her farewell, as is the norm in other countries. She said Batswana snubbed and questioned her participation in the contest after she failed to make it in the Miss World. One of the negative comments came in the form of a letter in the local press.
“Since I won the title, I have been accused of many things like seeking to be like supermodel Trya Banks,” she said. She still remembers the day when she was booed at the National Stadium when she gave an address. Many people at the stadium felt she should address them in Setswana and not English.
However, she defended speaking in the Queen’s language at the stadium because she said that the industry she is in dictated it although she ended up speaking in Setswana. She added that she is always expected to change her appearance because of the industry. But she is willing to promote the country abroad and lure investors. “We are incredibly proud of coming from Botswana and always willing to promote Botswana. We need encouragement from our people,” she promised. She challenged the department of culture and youth to put more effort in promoting arts. She said the country could use its own celebrities and achievers like Nokia Face of Africa winner Kaone Kario and South African-based DJ Thato ‘Fresh’ Sikwane to promote itself. “I encourage all to invest in arts, we need to support our young people, not only after winning,” she said.
