It appears the title of Zimbabwe’s Mr Ugly for 2015 would be the most coveted yet in the history of the beauty contest with a twist. According to organisers, for the first time since the competition began in 2011, the pageant will hold preliminary rounds to whittle the number of hopefuls from 36 to 12 for the finale on November 20, 2015.
Pageant organizer, David Machowa explained to the Associated Press that facial features count the most, but contestants will also be judged according to their confidence when walking the runway and how they handle the question-and-answer round of the pageant.
We are looking for natural ugliness. People have always seen ugliness is something to be ashamed of. Looks are God given. We should all be proud of who we are.
There is no female version of the contest. Machowa plans to expand it to other countries in southern Africa.
William Masvinu has held the title since 2012, when there were only a total of five contestants. He won $100 and a voucher for a night’s stay at a hotel, which he cashed in for food.
He still works at a market in Harare, hauling vegetables for $10 a day. He had hoped the wins would lead to advertising contracts but they haven’t materialized.
This year, the owners of a string of Harare nightclubs donated $1,000 for prize money, a crown and the event itself, to be held in a nightclub, said Machowa.
