Government clarifies its stand on Miss Malawi

It is up to Artistic Agency (AA) to keep the Miss Malawi office active or inactive, and nobody will question them.

In an interview during the official opening of the three-day Sunbird Sand Festival in Mangochi, director of culture in the Ministry of Culture, Wildlife and Tourism, Elizabeth Gomani-Chindebvu, disclosed that there is a misunderstanding between organisers of the beauty pageants and government on government’s role in managing the Miss Malawi office.

She revealed that AA does not understand government even when it made it clear to them that there is no special budget allocation for the office.

“As government we are supposed to assist the Miss Malawi office, but not funding the whole office because we do not have such funds in our budget and the office operates as a private entity. We met AA on the crowning of the 2013 Miss Malawi and plans to send the queen to Miss World, but our meeting has not produced results because we do not have money for all that,” she said.

Two months ago, director of AA Vitu Kamanga, told The Nation that his office had a meeting with the ministry where it committed to support the crowning of the queen and sending her to Miss World.

However, days turned into months without crowning the queen and Malawi failed to participate at the 2013 Miss World beauty pageant which was won by Miss Philippines. In a recent interview, AA did not commit itself to crown the queen anytime soon because of funds.

He added that Miss Malawi automatically becomes tourism and cultural ambassador, saying this has been the case for a while since the Miss Tourism disappeared.

While appreciating some of the support they get from government, Kamanga said budget support is crucial.

“Government gives us a recommendation letter, professionalism guidelines in managing and crowning the queen. However, the problem is on visible support. They mainly give us a vehicle to be used by finalists during camp, but without fuel and allowances for the driver.

“They should do more, in terms of budgetary support which is the biggest problem with the Miss Malawi office,” said Kamanga.

In the past, Miss Malawi office was directly attached to government.

Apart from allocating some funds to the office, there were some projects such as the Miss Malawi magazine which was designed to ensure the office is well financed.

“It was a great concept and it is our dream to bring all that back.

“All that is needed to have sufficient resources in the office, so that the office is self sufficient and the magazine would help to bring in revenue. Government has several projects where it can use the queen and pay her by supporting her office, this is the support we are talking about,” said the director.

She said her office has filed all complaints raised and they will discuss them at ministerial level.