Miss Grand Kenya Explained

Miss Grand Kenya
Formation:2013
Type:Beauty pageant
Headquarters:Nairobi
Location:Kenya
Leader Title:National director
Leader Name:Tanveen Lonez (2024 – Present)
Language:English
Affiliation:Miss Grand International

Miss Grand Kenya is a national beauty pageant title awarded to Kenyan representatives competing at the Miss Grand International pageant.[1] The title was first mentioned in 2013 when a national finalist of Miss World Kenya 2012, Pauline Akwacha, was assigned by the pageant organizer directed by Andy Abulime, Beauties of Africa Inc., to compete at the inaugural edition of Miss Grand International in Thailand.

The only placement of Kenyan at Miss Grand International was in the top 20, reached by Irene Ng'endo in 2020.

History

Since the establishment of Miss Grand International, Kenya has occasionally sent representatives to compete. In 2013, based majorly on past modeling experiences such as television commercials, advertisements, and understanding of the beauty pageant, a Nairobi resident model and Miss World Kenya 2012 finalist Pauline Akwacha was chosen by Andy Abulime's Beauties of Africa Inc to represent the country at the inaugural edition of Miss Grand International in Thailand; making her the first Kenyan to compete at the mentioned international contest. However, she received non-placements.

After an absence in 2014, the license was purchased by Tony Chirah, the director of Miss Kenya, and the Miss Grand Kenya titleholder for this particular year was determined through such a pageant as the supplementary title, while the main winner was sent to Miss Earth 2015. However, the contract was discontinued the following year, and no Kenyan representative in Miss Grand International from 2016 to 2019.

In 2020, Miss Africa 2019 winner Irene Mukii purchased the license and subsequently dominated herself to compete at that year's edition in Thailand, and reached Top 20 in the pageant finals. After that, the license has not been acquired by any other Kenyan pageant-related organ.

Edition

The following is the competition detail of the Miss Grand Kenya pageant, which was expected to be held for the first time in August 2024.[2]

Representative at Miss Grand International

The following is a list of Kenyan representatives at the Miss Grand International contest.

Year Representative Original national title Competition performanceLicensee
PlacementOther awards
2013Pauline Akwacha[3] Top 10 finalist Miss World Kenya 2012Unplaced[4] Andy Abulime
2014colspan=5
2015Elaine Mwangi[5] [6] Unplaced[7] Tony Chirah[8]
colspan=6
2020Irene Ng'endo[9] [10] Miss Africa 2019[11] Top 20[12] Irene Ng'endo[13]
colspan=6
2024Miss Grand Kenya 2024Tanveen Lonez

Finalists

The following list is the national finalists of the Miss Grand Kenya pageant and the competition results.

2024[14] [15]
Joy Awiti
Purity Khabukwi
Vanessa Handas
Margaret Furaha
Kamonya Brandy
Magdelene Takangiro
Magdelene Sereta      
Mary Akinyi
Samantha Kemama
Emmy Wambui
Wilhelmine Atieno
Donnata Risper
Pancy Kikwai
Mary Njuguna
Ogoi Mornicah
Stephanie Auma
Total16

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Miss Grand Kenya et celle du Nigeria testées positives au Coronavirus. Justin Coulibaly. 5 March 2021. 29 July 2023. www.afrik.com. fr. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728230103/https://www.afrik.com/miss-grand-kenya-et-celle-du-nigeria-testees-positives-au-coronavirus.
  2. Web site: Miss Grand Kenya Gala Night. event.talksasa.com. 12 July 2024. 2024. 12 July 2024. https://archive.today/20240712161936/https://event.talksasa.com/event/miss-grand-kenya-gala-night/118.
  3. Web site: Beauty Beyond Skin. subscription. 29 July 2023. 2014. Maureen Odiwuor. The Standard. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728183645/https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000103184/beauty-beyond-skin.
  4. Web site: Janelee Chaparro se corona Miss Grand International 2013. Harry Rodríguez. 18 November 2013. 8 February 2023. es. www.metro.pr. 8 May 2019. https://archive.today/20190508072838/https://www.metro.pr/pr/entretener/2013/11/19/janelee-chaparro-se-corona-miss-grand-international-2013.html.
  5. Web site: Former beauty queen beaten. 29 July 2023. subscription. Tha Standard. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728225359/https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/news/article/2000172429/former-beauty-queen-beaten. Steven Kisuli Muendo. 2016.
  6. Web site: Miss University beauty queen fails to impress at Miss Kenya Earth. Tha Standard. 2015. 27 December 2021. Stevens Muendo. 26 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211226172750/https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/monday-blues/2000172317/miss-university-beauty-queen-fails-to-impress-at-miss-kenya-earth.
  7. Web site: Lệ Quyên bất ngờ "trắng tay" tại Miss Grand International 2015. 26 October 2015. vi. 9 February 2023. Dantri.com.vn. 9 February 2023. https://archive.today/20230209133829/https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/le-quyen-bat-ngo-trang-tay-tai-miss-grand-international-2015-20151026083839519.htm.
  8. Web site: Miss Kenya franchise to plant 10 million trees. Elly Gitau. The Star. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728191620/https://www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/word-is/2015-05-26-miss-kenya-franchise-to-plant-10-million-trees/. 29 July 2023. 21 June 2015.
  9. Web site: tl. Two Miss Grand International candidates test positive for COVID-19. 4 March 2021. Arniel C. Serato. 29 July 2023. Philippines Entertainment Portal. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728223059/https://www.pep.ph/news/local/157047/miss-garnd-international-covid-19-a718-20210304.
  10. Web site: ส่งเสริมความร่วมมือด้านการท่องเที่ยวผ่านการสร้างความตระหนักรู้ระหว่างกัน / Tourism promotion through mutually awareness raising. 25 February 2021. 29 July 2023. th. Royal Thai Embassy in Nairobi. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728230416/https://nairobi.thaiembassy.org/th/content/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%94%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%97%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%9C%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7?page=5d752a3115e39c4624002d81&menu=5d752a3215e39c4624002e4a.
  11. Web site: Kenyan, Irene Mukii, crowned Miss Africa 2019. 28 December 2019. 29 July 2023. Ada Wodu. The Punch. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728195040/https://punchng.com/kenyan-irene-mukii-crowned-miss-africa-2019/.
  12. Web site: Samantha Bernardo makes it to Top 20 of Miss Grand International!. 27 March 2021. 27 August 2022. GMA Network. 26 August 2022. https://archive.today/20220826204805/https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/content/781485/samantha-bernardo-makes-it-to-top-20-of-miss-grand-international/story/.
  13. Web site: 2 candidates of Miss Grand International test positive for coronavirus. 29 July 2023. ABS-CBN. 28 July 2023. https://archive.today/20230728224857/https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/03/04/21/2-candidates-of-miss-grand-international-test-positive-for-coronavirus.
  14. Web site: Miss Grand Kenya 2024 candidates. 20 August 2024. 20 August 2024. Internet Archive. africavotes.com.
  15. Web site: Miss Grand Kenya 2024. africavotes.com. July 2024. 14 July 2024. 14 July 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240714003913/https://africavotes.com/p/miss.grand.kenya.2024.