The Miss Universe Kenya 2024 competition is take to take place on 16th of August at the Argyle Grand Hotel Nairobi. The night of August 3rd 2024 marked a monumental occasion in Nairobi as two of the most illustrious beauty pageants unfolded concurrently. This simultaneous hosting was unprecedented for these international pageants, both of which have dominated the realm of pageantry for over seven decades.
While the Miss World Kenya pageant was in the midst of crowning its 2024 queen in a breathtaking finale at Two Rivers, the Miss Universe Kenya pageant made a triumphant return—after a four-year hiatus—at the Argyle Grand Hotel on Mombasa Road.
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That evening, the Top 20 Miss Universe Kenya finalists were officially presented before embarking on their boot camp journey. Concurrently, Grace Ramtu, a 2022 finalist, was honored with the Miss World Kenya crown.
Midweek brought exhilarating news through a recorded video message: the reigning Miss Universe, Sheynnis Alondra Palacios from Nicaragua—also the first Nicaraguan to clinch the Miss Universe title—announced her impending visit to Kenya for the Miss Universe Kenya finals. This visit will mark her inaugural trip to Africa. Notably, it will be the second instance of a high-profile reigning beauty queen undertaking a mission to Kenya, following Miss World Alexandria Mills’ visit in 2011. Palacios also plans to explore the Maasai Mara during her stay.
This uplifting announcement coincided with intensified training at the Miss Universe boot camp, where preliminary judging narrowed the competition from 20 to 15 finalists. The grand ceremony and crowning are slated for August 16.
There’s a rejuvenated vigor permeating the pageantry industry in Kenya—a sector that, for years, has been marginalized within the broader creative industry ecosystem. Observing the events of last weekend and the strategic plans ahead, it’s evident that the longstanding perception of beauty pageantry as faceless is on the cusp of transformation.
Miss Universe Kenya 2024 is garnering substantial support from its U.S. headquarters, with a Los Angeles-based team ensuring that the Kenyan finals will be streamed live on August 16. Kenya, alongside South Africa, has captured Miss Universe’s attention—a promising development in a year when the pageant has vocalized its intent to spotlight authentic “Africanacity” during the grand ceremony in Mexico this November.
“Beauty pageantry has never been the recipient of such heightened attention before. This is a thrilling era for beauty pageantry in the country, and we can attest that years of relentless effort are finally yielding results. There’s enhanced organization, robust partnerships, and a heightened level of governmental involvement. This is evident in the case of Miss Universe Kenya, where Talanta Hela—a government initiative aimed at monetizing Kenyan talents by identifying, nurturing, and developing them to enable youth to earn a decent livelihood—is among the partners,” remarks Susan Kirui, a former Miss Earth titleholder.
Susan reminisces about the challenges faced in 2019 when she had to personally solicit support from friends and benefactors to represent the country in the Philippines. At that juncture, governmental intervention in the pageantry realm was minimal, and sponsorships were scarce, rendering it challenging for pageant holders to effectively showcase the country on the international stage.
However, the stakes have been elevated. The Miss Universe Kenya winner will be awarded a cash prize of Sh1 million upon crowning. Additionally, she will be granted a furnished apartment, a fully operational office, and a dedicated team to bolster her charitable endeavors. AllBlack Beauty will also provide makeup services.
The pageant’s support network is robust, featuring the Ababu Namwamba Foundation, Mozzart, Talanta Hela, Bonfire Adventures, Sarova Hotels, and Narok County, among others. A comprehensive team is meticulously guiding the models through professional runway training, interview preparation, and etiquette refinement.
The Miss Universe Kenya pageant upholds rigorous judging criteria that evaluate a contestant’s appearance, personality, and performance. From over 400 applicants, the Top 20 finalists—representing diverse regions of the country—were selected.
A panel of esteemed industry professionals is focusing on beauty and poise, assessing contestants’ overall stage presence, grace, and elegance. This encompasses their walk, posture, and confidence. Moreover, the judges are evaluating each contestant’s intellect and communication prowess, scrutinizing their ability to articulate ideas, respond adeptly to questions, and engage in substantive dialogue. Attributes such as clarity, eloquence, and intelligence are paramount.
There’s also a pronounced emphasis on advocacy and social impact, examining contestants’ dedication to social causes and their tangible influence within their communities. Health and fitness are equally pivotal; maintaining a wholesome lifestyle and physical fitness are indispensable.
The pageant’s legacy includes nurturing some of the nation’s premier models, with several crown holders nearing the pinnacle of the international title. Roshanara Ebrahim was bestowed with the Miss Universe Kenya crown in 2021, having previously secured the Miss World Kenya title in 2016, though she withdrew from that year’s Miss World competition. Stacy Michuki represented Kenya at Miss Universe 2019, while Wabaiya Kariuki held the crown in 2018. Notably, Mary Esther achieved a commendable Top 6 finish in the 2016 global finals.
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