Story by Patience Nyagato
THE stage is set for one of the country’s most anticipated pageants, Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2025, set for the Hippodrome in Harare this Saturday.
South African actress and business mogul, Connie Ferguson, touched down at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport ahead of her role as a guest judge for this year’s Miss Universe Zimbabwe finale set for this Saturday.
“It’s an honour to just be invited to participate in this year’s choosing of Miss Universe Zimbabwe. An opportunity like this for the young girls that enter this competition is huge, but it’s always up to them what they do with the platform that they are given. It’s a great opportunity to be able to explore different parts of themselves, to be able to discover themselves, their strengths, weaknesses, and work on a bigger platform to make a difference,” she said.
Ferguson, admired across the continent for her contribution in South Africa’s entertainment industry, offered words of inspiration to contestants and young women across Zimbabwe.
“As a female, it is also a good model to make much of your advice in the culture. To the girl child, believe in yourself. This world can be so big and scary, but just be grounded and rooted in God, number one. Be grounded and rooted in family and community because at the end of the day, when you fall, those are the pillars that are going to hold you up.”
Behind the scenes, it is all systems go and this year, the stakes are even higher.
“We promise them something better than last year and we promise that we are going to get the best from the contestants. We are going to be fair and just. We are so excited about it and the fact that Connie is here is an honour because according to many Zimbabweans, she is a role model to them. She is somebody who is a business person that they can learn from, she is a fitness icon, she is somebody who believes in God with very principles and she believes in family structure and community way of doing things,” Miss Universe Board Chairperson Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga said.
Nine beauty queens are vying for the coveted crown and will participate at the grand finale.
