By Flata Kavinga
The stage is set for the Miss Bodilicious Zimbabwe 2025 beauty pageant, which will be held on 26 September 2025 at Mtora in Gokwe North, hosted by King Solomon Hotel proprietor and businessman, Dr Solomon Matsa.
The national pageant, which celebrates what organisers describe as “true African beauty,” will bring together contestants from across the country’s 10 provinces. So far, 12 participants have been confirmed, with organisers expecting at least four more entrants from Gokwe North and Gokwe South to ensure local representation.
“Miss Bodilicious Zimbabwe is about empowering women and celebrating African beauty in its natural, authentic form. The current world beauty contests often don’t align with our African ideals, so we created this pageant to highlight and cherish our women,” Dr Matsa said in an interview.
The event will also provide a platform for local fashion designers to showcase their work by dressing contestants and marketing their designs to a wider audience.
This year’s edition will be held at the newly established King Solomon Hotel in Nembudziya, Gokwe North. Minister of Education, Honourable Torerai Moyo, has been invited as guest of honour.
Dr Matsa said the decision to host the event in rural Gokwe was inspired by the government’s mantra of “leaving no one and no place behind.”
“We believe the same fun and experiences enjoyed in Harare or Bulawayo must also be brought to places like Gokwe, Mapisa or Beitbridge. The nation is ours together, and we must celebrate it everywhere,” he said.
Beyond the pageant, organisers are also using the event to market Gokwe North’s tourism and investment potential. Visitors will be able to explore natural attractions such as a local waterfall described as “another Victoria Falls type of place,” and nearby Zenda, a gold-mining area.
With glamour, culture, and entertainment on the line, Gokwe North is expected to come alive as Miss Bodilicious Zimbabwe 2025 crowns a new queen.
