01 Jul 2013

Twelve beauties will vie to outdo each at Miss Universe Botswana finals at a date yet to be announced.

The 12 beauty queens were selected following auditions in Gaborone where judges picked 30 contestants who were later trimmed to 12.

Speaking at a presentation in Gaborone on June 28, the pageant organiser, Safie Sekgwa said they decided to conduct auditions in Gaborone only as in the past ladies did not turn up for auditions which were held countrywide. 

Sekgwa dismissed allegations that the organisers selected ladies from agencies only, saying of the 12 finalists, only three were from agencies.

The organiser indicated that the contract for the title winner stated that parents should not get involved in the matters of the queen which he said was a way of empowering her to learn to be independent. 

With regard to the reigning queen, he said they did not force her to quit her studies adding that she would study in the US as part of the pageant sponsorship.

He said organisers believed that the finalists were beautiful and intelligent. “It’s possible we can win the Miss Universe title again because Batswana women are very beautiful as proven by Mpule Kwelagobe in 1999,” he said. 

Sekgwa said they managed to send the contestants to compete in the global pageant every year because they appreciated their beauty.

The organiser said they promoted equal opportunity for all women from different backgrounds despite their skin colour and tribe. He indicated that the new queen would be the face of “I am the change project” which is a project spearheaded by the reigning queens to promote behavioural change among young people.

Sekgwa said the pageant aimed to put Botswana on the map as many internationally communities did not recognise Botswana as a country. The pageant continues to brand and promote Botswana in all sectors amongst them tourism, culture and mining. 

“Botswana seats in position 32 out of 132 countries in the Miss Universe latest rankings and I believe we have the potential to do better,” he noted.

The Miss Universe international is billed for Russia on November 9. ENDS