Newly-crowned Zambia Supermodel Akamandisa Inambao (centre) with organiser Cynthia Kanema (right) and ZNBC presenter Faith Musonda (left) after the contest last week.

19-year-old ZCAS student Akamandisa Inambao's walk on heels last Saturday paid off as she scooped the second edition of Cynthia Kanema's Zambia Supermodel contest, beating 11 other finalists in a spectacular finale held at Hotel InterContinental.

Fondly referred to as Aka by her friends, the Lusaka-based model who stands at 1.82 cm and only has less than a year of experience in modelling says she is very excited to be named this year's winner of the competition.

"I think I deserve the prize though the competition was very stiff because the other girls were equally good. It was a fifty-fifty situation for me but I was still very confident right from the start because I knew I had the height and the looks," boasts the soft-spoken ACCA student, who also pledged to use her US$10,000-worth title to engage in a number of charitable activities.

"Well, like the title demands, I will be doing a lot of charity work, fashion shows and many other things that need my attention. I hope to learn a lot from Petita (last year's winner) and hopefully work with a lot more people," concludes Aka who before her current title only had Miss Personality in the Zambia Centre Accountancy Studies beauty pageant to her record.

Meanwhile, proceedings at the Supermodel finale were characterised by fascinating display of unique talent from the models besides the expected catwalk skills and glaring outfits.

The audience that included political advisor to the Republican President Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika had a chance to sample glamourous apparel ranging from Afro Pop to evening wear courtesy of local designers, Fay Designs.

While the contestants had enough to show in their unique talent acts with some revealing commitment to skills like dancing and acrobatics, their challenging moment was the question and answer session which engaged the audience's participation.

Pageant initiator Cynthia Kanema, herself a former Miss Zambia, had nothing more than praise for the event's sponsors, partners and participants in the show she passionately dedicated to the awareness of cervical cancer which her mother died from three months ago.

Petersen, Crisis, Tasila Mwale, Mampi and the XYZ's P Jay, Slap Dee and Ruff Kid brightened up the entertainment, while ZNBC's Faith Musonda anchored the show. Musonda also announced that besides the US$10,000 worth of modelling contract, Aka will receive a one-year clothing contract with Bonsai, a year's make-up from Black Opal, while Beauty Gardens will take care of her hair.

(The Post)