KIGALI - Eighteen-year-old Cynthia Akazuba is the maiden Miss Kigali. The Lycée de Kigali Senior Four student emerged the winner of the Miss Kigali Beauty Pageant 2007, beating off competition of nine other contestants who made it to the final stage of the contest.Akazuba was crowned Miss Kigali 2007 by the First Lady Jeannette Kagame at a function held at Jali Club. The event was graced by other several leaders and a number of musicians including Ugandan songbird Julian Kanyomozi.

Célyse Isimbi, a Senior Five student at Lycée de Kigali, and Joseline Murekatete, who is a first year student at the Kigali Independent University (ULK), emerged the first and second runners-up respectively.

The function was held on Saturday night at Jali Club in Kigali.

Akazuba walked away with a prize of Frw3 million (from Kigali City), a Kigali-Nairobi return air ticket and free accommodation at Serena Hotel Nairobi, courtesy of Rwandair Express.

She also signed a contract with New Image saloon which allows her a six-month free hair treatment.

Isimbi was awarded Frw1 million, a return ticket Kigali-Kampala and one night accommodation at Serena Hotel Kampala.

Murekatete was awarded Frw1m, a return air ticket Kigali-Bujumbura and accommodation at Hotel Tanganyika.
The beauty contest was part of Kigali City’s centenary celebrations which climax next week.

The head of the jury, Eugene Nyagahene, who announced the winners said, the search for Miss Kigali 2007 was stressful considering that it was difficult to select the best among the initially ten selected beauty queens.

Mrs Kagame congratulated the winners, saying that the exercise was part of the appreciation for the beauty of Rwandan women and girls, one of the country’s many natural endowments.

She however added that beauty should go hand in hand with good deeds all geared towards the country’s development.

Mrs Kagame also extended appreciation to Miss School of Finance and Banking (SFB) 2007, Amanda Ingeli, who finished first runners-up during the recent beauty contest for Miss Chogm (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) in Kampala, Uganda.

Uganda will later this month host Chogm.

Ends