Miss Matofotofo stripped of her crown
The 34-year-old Mota Engil secretary, Florence Banda, has been stripped of her crown as Miss True African Beauty for Lilongwe (Miss Matofotofo) after contest organisers said her sexual scandal reports in the media has put the pageant into disrepute and she goes down in history as the shortest-lived Ms Matofotofo.
Banda has been embroiled in a scandal of bedding a married man Joel Phiri; both are employees of Mota Engil. Banda works as secretary to the Board Director for Africa at the company.
Organiser of the pageant, Florence Banda (not the dethroned Matofotofo) and chairperson of the Miss True African Queen Pageant Committee Wisdom Chimgwede (both employees of Zodiak Broadcasting Services) said they have dethroned her of the title following Nyasa Times reporting of an alleged sex scandal involving and also Weekend Times.
The organisers said they instituted its investigations which included talking to the reigning Matofotofo Lilongwe.
Chimgwede said, however, stripping her of the crown does not imply that the organizers are confirming any wrongdoing on the part of Miss Florence Banda but simply disassociating the pageant from media reports and public debate that ensued after Nyasa Times’ breaking of the news.
Both Florence Banda’s alleged lover and the now de-crowned Ms Matofotofo had denied the story.
Her deposition also means Banda has been disqualified from competing in the Miss True African Queen Malawi next year.
The organisers pointed out that the pageant has clear rules stipulating the conduct of all contestants and the winners are also expected to abide by these rules during their entire reign.
“The committee thus found Ms. Banda’s matter wanting and in contempt of the rules and thus resolved to de-crown Ms Banda with immediate effect,” said Chingwede.
“Once again, Ms True African Queen organizers have done this to uphold the dignity of the show founded on strict principles of tradition and culture.”
Dethroning her, the organizers have emphasized that:“This does not in any way mean that Ms Banda is guilty of any wrong doing, but have done this to uphold the dignity of the show founded on strict principles of tradition and culture.”
The crown has since been given to the first princess 22-year-old Miss Constance Kachoka.
“Just as is expected of a reigning queen, Constance is expected to engage in charity and such other social activities.”
In December 2007, the Miss True African Queen (then called Miss Matofotofo) was launched in Zimbabwe with a view to give confidence to the mostly diffident fluffy women of Africa.
Miss True African Queen is a contest for women who wear size 40 and above. It has no restrictions on age, weight, height and marital status.
Organisers say the idea is to reclaim the true meaning of beauty from an African perspective.
“This contest bestows confidence in African women so they are proud of their culture and tradition.”
Banda was crowned Miss Matofotofo Lilongwe on October 28 in front of hundreds of spectators after beating 14 other contestants when the local organizers held their first show in Lilongwe.
The organisers said they remain steady to hold the Ms True African Queen Blantyre event in February 2012 before going to Mzuzu in March.
The national event will be held in Lilongwe in April next year.
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