Beauty Pageant of Lesotho chairperson, Tlali Tlali
Mohalenyane Phakela
Representatives of the Miss Africa beauty pageant arrive in the country tomorrow to formally admit Lesotho into the continental glamour show which was launched last year.
Beauty Pageant Association of Lesotho (BPAL) officials would sign a participation agreement with the visitors at Avani Lesotho Hotel to signal the country’s entry into the prestigious pageant.
According to BPAL president, Tlali Tlali, the Miss Africa delegation arrives at Moshoeshoe I International Airport at 11am and would comprise officials from Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa.
“We will be having beauty pageant association representatives from South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland on Friday to sign a franchise/participation agreement for our participation in the Miss Africa event starting next year,” Tlali said.
Since the Miss Africa headquarters are in Botswana, the expected guests are the Mayor of Gaborone Kagiso Thutlwe and his deputy, Principal Chief of Balete, Kgosi-Kgolo Balete Mosadi Seboko (Botswana), Miss Africa chief executive officer Bruce Leonard (Bots), Miss Deaf Africa CEO Nokulutha Mbatha (Bots), Miss Africa Deaf Chief Ambassador Sello Maake ka Nqube (South Africa) and the Botswana television crew, among others.
“Upon their arrival, we will head to Matsieng where our guests will meet the Principal Chief, Seeiso Bereng Seeiso. From Matsieng, we will come to Maseru City Council to meet the mayor, with whom they will also have dinner later on. The guests will also meet with Ministry of Tourism officials under which the pageantry board falls.
“After these formalities, we will go to AVANI Lesotho Hotel where we will have an official signing ceremony and allow the committees to interact and share ideas,” said Tlali.
Tlali also said BPAL is excited with this spectacular milestone as this is one of those international pageants set to put Lesotho’s tourism in the limelight.
“We are all excited by this development as the pageant allows entrants to showcase their cultures, which is good for our tourism.
“We signed electronically with the Miss World, but we will be doing this live. Since the pageant rotates every year, we are also hoping to be hosts in future.”
