This year’s pageant comes with prizes for the queen
- Miss Botswana launches Influencer Agency
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
After much speculation, Miss Botswana Organisation has finally announced that the grand finale to crown a new queen is slated for the Grand Aria in Tlokweng on 23 March.
Prior to the finale, the Miss Botswana Organisation will hold a boot camp for the Top 10 on 11 March that will be followed by the Beauty Expo on 21 and 22 March.
“We have always maintained that winning the Miss Botswana title and wearing the crown was the price. However, this year the queen will walk away with an array of prizes,” Miss Botswana Director Ben Raletsatsi announced recently.
VW Polo
Speaking at the launch of the Miss Botswana Top 10 at Cresta Lodge in Gaborone over last weekend, he went on to unravel the array.
“The road to Miss World is valued at a total of P350 000, the upkeep of the queen is valued at P120 000, the clothing allowance is valued at P150 000,” Raletsasi said.
“The new queen will get to enjoy a full year’s subscription of a dental spa, pharmaceutical cosmetics, styling, hair and make-up services, yoga training, swimming and gym membership.
“The queen will also walk away with the grand prize of VW Polo hatchback valued at P250 000. More prices will be announced at the finale. The first runner up will walk away with P50 000 and the second runner up will win P25 000.”
Influencer Agency
Miss Botswana also launched Influencer Agency Botswana, which aims to cater for influencers and content creators while offering brands and organisations access to the most valuable asset today: influence.
By launching the Influencer Agency, Raletsatsi said Miss Botswana Organisation is recognising that it produces influential personalities each year but has never formalised it as an industry.
“So we are turning influencing into proper employment and commercialising it,” he said. “The Miss Botswana platform completely changes these young girls’ lives, so it is important for them know how they can monetise their skills.”
To host Miss World
Raletsatsi revealed that they intend to host Miss World 2026 in Botswana after their right to host the 2024 pageant was revoked.
He explained that Botswana initially had the greenlight from Miss World to host the pageant this year but the permission was revoked after Miss Botswana Organisation failed to respond in time.
He emphasised that they will not allow revocation of the permission to host this year dampen their spirits and will pursue their goal of the right to host Miss World when Botswana turns 60 in 2026.
Lesego raring to go
Meanwhile, the reigning Miss Botswana, Lesego Chombo, has assured Batswana that she is ready to step on the stage at the Jio World convention Centre in India on 9 March 2024, whence she will bring the Miss World crown home.
“As of last week, my wardrobe is completely done after working with a lot of local designers,” she said at the launch of the Top 10 at Cresta Gaborone.
“We vetted them and they delivered beautiful dresses that meet my taste. It’s a three-week competition and each day I have a minimum of two outfits. We have two finale gowns ready.”