Two weeks is not long enough to have an issue as big as holding of a Miss Malawi event forgotten.

More so when such an event generated a lot of talking points. The subject could not get into the fray soon enough as it was coincided with other equally pressing matters. Not because of relevance or importance, but surely just lack of space to accommodate them both at the same time.

Notwithstanding anything, that is why today I am here to delve into some of the sticky issues that fell in the basket of public discourse in the aftermath of the historic event.

Firstly, deserved congratulations should go to Jescar Mponda on being crowned the new Miss Malawi. In a race that had more than 20 contestants, for one to emerge tops, it shows you really have that X-factor.

Choices of that nature are never universally accepted and within the set-up, there will always be voices that will disapprove of the decision made by presiding authorities. Competitions such as beauty pageants have never always drawn a common popular character.

The reaction from people on Mponda’s selection was, therefore, not surprising. It was not the first time and it will not be the last. The fear is only the effect it may have left on the Queen. Did it have a telling impact on her confidence, legitimacy and ability to occupy the Miss Malawi office?

At this point, I pray none of that happened because of the apparent backlash on her election as the new Miss Malawi. Having been inactive for four solid years, what the Miss Malawi office needs is someone to show real vibrancy to revive the functions of the office.

The organisation of this year’s event was marred by lack of financing. Alpha Arts found it impossible to attract the confidence of corporates to honour the pageant with meaningful partnerships.

The turnout may be due to a lot of factors, but one among them should be the long time that the event has stayed without happening. Financially, times are hard and organisations are operating on tight budget lines.

It is not easy for many to part with huge sums of money on exercises that bear no direct benefit to their operations. It requires good establishments with strategic profiles. The new queen has that task before her to raise and show the relevance of the office.

The presence of the First Lady Monica Chakwera as a guest of honour during the event also provided a lot of talking points among many who followed the event. Her being there inevitably had trappings of a huge State presence.

A First Lady is no mere mortal. And every public appearance she makes cannot pass without required protocols befitting someone of her status. Unfortunately, many saw this as eating much into the fibre of what a proper beauty pageant ought to be.

Those who came in close contact with her needed to have their dressing examined so that it could pass the appropriateness test. Sadly, the former queen Tionge Munthali failed that test and what followed was a despicable reaction from her.

She went to town on all and sundry associated with the event. She didn’t hide her displeasure at being denied the opportunity to hand over the crown to her successor, a role that was assigned to Madame Chakwera.

Whether her concerns were legit or not, but the manner of her reaction was not as dignified. The nature of her outbursts made it hard for people to understand her reaction and argument.

In a way, it also reflected badly on the Miss Malawi office. The way the role of the Miss Malawi is designed, it requires one who oozes the aura of a role model. One who inspires those at the bottom and up. I don’t know what people who are expected to look up to her made of her reaction.

There were many ways to make her case heard, but certainly not the approach she took. In the end, it is the negativity borne out of the incident that rode on top of the event. So unfortunate.

To the organisation itself, many have opined what Alpha Arts could do to make the event better next time. The organisers themselves have also admitted to facing some challenges. Being the first time, such challenges were always going to happen.

It is hoped that they have drawn lessons from this maiden experience and that next year they will come back better equipped, more learned and ready to execute an event to remember. Congratulations to Alpha Arts for their courage to resuscitate the pageant. Please come again!

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