Miss Botswana urged to collaborate
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Sunday September 3, 2023 06:00
Mbise stated in an interview with Arts and Culture that it is difficult for the pageantry industry to support the reigning beauty queens in their regions. He also said Miss Botswana ought to use local organisations at the regional level to stage pageants in order to expand the pageantry and include contestants from every part of the country in the overall national pageant. He argued that doing so would encourage diversity and even help to develop beauty queens since, after competing in the national pageant in an effort to advance to Miss World, they would have a greater profile. Mbise argued that for a candidate to join Miss Botswana, they should be able to enter and win local competition. For instance, he added, "as part of nurturing their talents, the queen should be able to represent the region at Miss Botswana after competing at Miss Selebi-Phikwe."
He suggested that Miss Botswana should adjust to the Miss Rural Area Development Programme (RADP) pageantry, which aims to enhance young people's lives and discover potential in rural areas. He said other reigning queens from the region might remain important if the idea is embraced. He added that local pageant queens typically keep their titles but disappear without a trace. Mbise stated that the Miss Selebi-Phikwe grand finale will take place on September 15 at the Hotel Selebi.
The seventh edition of Miss Selebi-Phikwe will be held under the theme: ‘Restoring hope’. He said they intend on building a strong foundation that will enhance the essence and significance of inclusion of female power in innovations and developments. "Among other things, the 14 finalists will perform cultural parades as they walk the ramp in their evening gowns. Along with our finalists, we have scheduled local performers to enthral the audience, he continued. According to him, the participants in the cultural march would display dance and clothing from the Babirwa, Batswapong, Batalaote, and Bakalaka tribes. The night time red carpet event will begin at 5pm and end late at night.
Tickets are sold at P400 per person at Choppies, Pioneer Bookshop in Selebi-Phikwe and also available on all web tickets countrywide.