A total of 15 girls were picked to represent Eastern Province in Miss Rwanda 2020 when auditions for the pageant went to the province on Saturday at Silent Hill Hotel, Kayonza District.

The number is the highest since the auditions for this year began, giving the Eastern Province a high chance of producing the next Miss Rwanda since Colombe Akiwacu in 2015.

That number means the Province has gone in the Miss Rwanda history books for recording the highest number of representatives since Rwanda Inspiration Backup took over the beauty contest in 2014.

The brilliance, beauty, confidence expressed by contestants during the Eastern Province auditions gave judges Mike Karangwa, Jolly Mutesi and Evelyne Umurerwa a serious challenge when it came to picking who stays and who goes through to the next round of the competition.

The auditions, which kicked off at 4pm, took as long as everyone expected given that the province also recorded a huge number of participants in the beauty contest compared to the previous auditions.

In total 90 aspirants registered to audition but less than a half (41) managed to show up at the venue and were allowed to compete while the remaining 11 were disqualified for failure to meet the competition’s requirements.

Previously some contestants would face criticisms from the judges for not taking ample time to prepare themselves before deciding to take part in the competition, especially for failing to present their projects before the panel.

That was not the case in the Eastern Province though as judges were impressed on numerous occasions as contestants presented their well-crafted and researched projects which they believe can have impact in the country.

Contestants looked ready and confident to explain every detail of their projects whenever it mattered until the jury had to be convinced to ensure that their family relatives and friends who accompanied them don’t go back home disappointed.

Judge Mike Karangwa shows a YES tag to a contestant during Eastern Province auditions last weekend. / Courtesy

But there have to be winners and losers in every competition and that is why half of the contestants progressed and the other half made to wait for another chance next year as was the case for Nadege Umutesi who tried last year and couldn’t make it through.

"Things did not go well for me in the auditions last year because I did not prepare enough to compete for the crown ….but I am ready now to succeed where I failed in the last occasion and I am confident I can reach far because I feel I have whatever it takes to take the crown home,” Umutesi told The New Times on Saturday after getting a PASS last weekend.

After a four-hour Question-Answer session, it took judges more than 30 minutes to agree between themselves who had to progress to the next rounds of the beauty contest and 15 were given a green light.

They include Deborah Niheza, Charlene Ineza, Phiona Umwiza, Rehema Ingabire, Ange Murangamirwa, Delice Rwiririza Nyinawumuntu, Nicole Ndenga Teta, Diane Ingabire and Grace Munezero.

Others are Denyse Ingabire, Phionnah Wihogora, Deborah Kansime, Aline Icyeza Nikuze, Nadege Umutesi and Dalillah Numukobwa.

The upcountry auditions have so far seen 34 contestants selected in the process and will know who joins them in the next rounds when the auditions conclude in Kigali on January 18.