We’ve all seen the moment someone wins a beauty pageant – feigned shock for the winner, feigned unbridled joy on her behalf from those who lost. In general, just a load of rubbish across the board.

Well it was a somewhat different affair in Zimbabwe’s ‘Mister Ugly’ contest, riots following the decision to crown 42-year-old Mison Sere with the dubious honour.

Sere was awarded the trophy on account of his ‘numerous missing front teeth and a wide range of grotesque facial expressions’, a combination that helped him oust three-time winner and crowd favourite William Masvinu. News24 with what followed:

Masvinu and his supporters mobbed the judges upon hearing their decision, claiming that Sere [pictured above] was “too handsome” to win and his ugliness wasn’t natural since it was based on missing teeth.

“I am naturally ugly. He is not. He is ugly only when he opens his mouth,” maintained Masvinu [pictured below], gesturing at his rival.

“Do we have to lose our teeth to win? This is cheating,” shouted another contestant, Patrick Mupereki. While no one was injured, there was a great deal of pushing and shoving as the results were announced and insults were hurled at the judges.

Sere responded by hamming up just how unattractive he is:

“They should just accept that I am uglier than them,” he said. “I hope to get a TV contract. I already moved around schools performing and showcasing my ugliness so this is a chance to make it on TV.”

Both should just count themselves lucky that the most repugnant Zimbabwean of all, uncle Bob Mugabe, never entered as we all know he’s got that title wrapped up.

[source:news24,imagesources:TsvangirayiMukwazhi/AP]