The big Miss Universe Kenya return

Miss Universe Kenya 2024 contestants [Facebook, Miss Universe Kenya]

Last Saturday night, two of the most prestigious beauty pageants took place simultaneously in Nairobi. It was a first of sorts for the international pageants, which have ruled the world of pageantry for over 70 years.

While Miss World Kenya was crowning its 2024 queen in a stunning finale at Two Rivers, Miss Universe Kenya made an emphatic comeback—after four years—at the Argyle Grand Hotel on Mombasa Road.

That Saturday, the Top 20 Miss Universe Kenya finalists were unveiled before going into boot camp, as Grace Ramtu, a 2022 finalist, was crowned the new Miss World Kenya.

Midweek, through a recorded video, the reigning Miss Universe, Sheynnis Alondra Palacios from Nicaragua—who is also the first Nicaraguan to win Miss Universe—announced that she would be visiting Kenya for the Miss Universe Kenya finals. This will be her first visit to Africa. It will be the second time such a high-profile reigning beauty queen will be on a mission to Kenya, following Miss World Alexandria Mills' visit in 2011. Palacios will also be visiting Maasai Mara.

The good news came as training intensified at the Miss Universe boot camp, with preliminary judging narrowing the field to 15 of the 20 finalists. The grand ceremony and crowning will take place on August 16.

There is a fresh breath of life in the pageantry industry in the country, one that has for years been treated as a sideshow in the creative industry ecosystem. If the events witnessed last weekend and the plans ahead are anything to go by, there is no doubt that the narrative of beauty pageantry being faceless will change.

Miss Universe Kenya 2024 is receiving major backing from its US headquarters, with a team in Los Angeles set to ensure the Kenyan finals will be streamed live on August 16. Kenya and South Africa are the African countries in Miss Universe’s radar, a positive development in a year when the pageant has asserted its desire to witness true "Africanacity" showcased during the grand ceremony in Mexico this November.

“Beauty pageantry has never received such a high level of attention before. This is an exciting time in the world of beauty pageantry in the country, and we can say years of toil and hard work are finally paying off. There is better organization, good partnerships, and also a high level of involvement when it comes to government, as we have seen in the case of Miss Universe Kenya, where Talanta Hela, a government initiative that aims at monetizing talents in Kenya by identifying, nurturing, and developing them, thus enabling youth to earn a decent livelihood, is part of the partners,” says Susan Kirui, a former Miss Earth crown holder.

Susan recalls how difficult things were back in 2019 when she had to personally source support from friends and well-wishers as she travelled to represent the country in the Philippines. At that time, there was little, if any, government intervention in the pageantry world, and sponsors were hard to come by, making it difficult for pageant holders to effectively represent the country on the international platform.

It is not just about beauty and a crown. This time around, the Miss Universe Kenya winner will walk away with a cash prize of Sh1 million upon crowning. She will also receive a furnished apartment, a fully functional office, and a team to support her charitable cause. She will also enjoy AllBlack Beauty make-up services.

The pageant is being supported by the Ababu Namwamba Foundation, Mozzart, Talanta Hela, Bonfire Adventures, Sarova Hotels, and Narok County, among others. An entire team of individuals is taking the models through professional runway training, interviews, and etiquette training.

The Miss Universe Kenya pageant has extensive judging standards that consider a contestant’s appearance, personality, and performance. Over 400 applicants were interviewed, with the Top 20 drawn from across the country making the cut.

The jury of top industry professionals has keyed in on beauty and poise; the contestants' overall stage presence, grace, and poise will be judged. This includes their walk, posture, and confidence. The judges will also assess each contestant’s intellect and communication skills, including their ability to express ideas clearly, respond to questions, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Clarity, eloquence, and intelligence are important.

There is also an emphasis on advocacy and social impact: how committed the contestants are to social issues and how they impact their communities. Health and fitness are also crucial—maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being physically fit are essential.

The pageant has produced some of the top models in the country, with some crown holders coming close to winning the international title. Roshanara Ebrahim was crowned Miss Universe Kenya 2021. She had previously won Miss World Kenya 2016 but withdrew from the Miss World competition that year. Then there is Stacy Michuki, who represented Kenya at Miss Universe 2019, with Wabaiya Kariuki carrying the crown in 2018. Mary Esther achieved a Top 6 finish in the 2016 global finals.