Miss Botswana not shaken by online petition
Sharon Mathala | Thursday August 11, 2016 17:00
After allegations of favouritism and breaching of the rules of the pageant, there is now an online petition with over 1,500 signatures calling for her to be stripped of her title.
The online petition was set up on Monday and by Wednesday morning it had over 1,500 signatures. According to information from the petition, the instigators of the petition say Kenosi does not deserve to represent Botswana at the Miss World pageant, which will be held live in Washington DC in the United States, come December 20, 2016.
The online petition, published under the Facebook page and identity of Setlhomo Raymond Tshwanelang is titled ‘Disqualify Miss Botswana from Miss World, rules apply to all’. The petition suggests that the crowning of a tattooed Kenosi is considered by many as the biggest ever scandal to rock the local pageant, which has had its fair share of controversies throughout the years.
Those behind the petition are of the view that, “Kenosi entered the competition with full knowledge and understanding of the set of rules stated as ‘no visible tattoos’”. She has at least a couple of them on her lower rib and on the back of her neck, as described in the petition.
They also argue that Miss Botswana management and Botswana Council of Women (BCW) organisers overlooked their own rules.
“We, Batswana strongly believe that rules were violated right from the beginning of the auditions until coronation night, and that the rightful finalist who could have won this year’s crown was denied this fair and transparent opportunity.”
The petition continues, “We advocate in the midst of the voices of so many thousands of Batswana that Thata Kenosi be disqualified from representing the country at Miss World …We also advocate for Miss World to come forward and issue a press release about these strong allegations of corruption, maladministration and mismanagement in the Miss Botswana pageant as far as the Miss Botswana pageantry licence is concerned because the whole nation cannot just cry fowl over nothing.”
But BCW, (licence holders), are not shaken by the petition. BCW spokesperson Tshepo Maphanyane acknowledged that they are aware of the petition.
“It is very unfortunate that someone would go out of their way to tarnish the good name of the country as well as of the poor girl, (Kenosi), she has worked hard to get where she is,” Maphanyane said.
“As far as things stand, none of the finalists including the winner, Kenosi contravened the rules and regulation of Miss Botswana,” she said.Maphanyane emphasised that no rules were broken and that they are working around the clock to ensure that Batswana trust the decision of the judges and rally behind the reigning queen, the 21-year-old Kenosi from Moshupa.
When quizzed if the petition has a potential of disqualifying the country at the world stage should the Miss World organisers be made aware, Maphanyane said: “I cannot comment on that at the moment. As far as things stand, Kenosi will leave for DC in November”.