Miss Rwanda pageant comes back with a bang

Three years ago, the Miss Rwanda pageant was the biggest thing on the entertainment scene. Beauty and glamour was all about the event, but the colourful function disappeared out of sight since December 2009.Now the beauty pageant is back. The search for Miss Rwanda event is scheduled to kick off in up-country towns, starting off in the Southern Province, followed by Western Province on July 21 and Eastern Province on July 28, while in the Northern Province; beauty pageant will take place on 4 August and City of Kigali on 12.The grand finale will be held on September 1, 2012 in Kigali.All the five provinces will be represented by three contestants (winner, first and second runners-up), to compete at the national level.Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Protais Mitali, the Minister of Sports and Culture, said that the event is expected to cost more than Rwf120 million including the gifts to the winners.“Miss Rwanda had taken time without taking place because we were still soliciting for partnership and sponsorship from several institutions, “he said.He noted that, they have got so many partners, including Bralirwa, the country’s largest beverage maker, Rwanda Development Board, Rwanda Development Bank, National Youth Council and the National Agriculture Education Board.“But we have several other sponsors and more are still coming onboard”.This year’s Miss Rwanda beauty contest will be held under the theme “Beauty with Purpose unifying Rwandan Beauty and Culture”.The last time Miss Rwanda was held, it was in 2009 when Grace Bahati was crowned Miss Rwanda on December 18. She is currently pursuing her studies in the United States.Among the prizes she was awarded included US$10,000 in cash from Hooters, a brand-new Suzuki worth Rwf24 million, and a fully financed trip to the United States by Atlanta based novelist, Elizabeth Dewberry.The 2012 winner will participate in different social and cultural events, either in the country or abroad as well as participate in international beauty contests including Miss Africa and Miss World. “The overall winner will walk away with a car most probably but it will depend on the donations we will get from our sponsors,” Mitali noted.The Miss Rwanda Beauty contestants are supposed to be Rwandans by nationality and staying in the country, aged between 18 and 24 years old, have a minimum height of 170cm, fluent in Kinyarwanda language and English or French.They should have no criminal record, not married, pregnant and have completed at least six years of secondary education, and they should as well posses a recommendation letter from their villages where they come from for easy identification.“We wish the event to be held annually but it will depend on the capacity and the support we will get from our partners but we want to promote it, to ensure that it becomes a yearly event,” the minister said.