This year’s Miss Rwanda contest already promises to be competitive with a big number of girls showing interest in taking part in the pre-selection rounds to be held in different parts of the country. More than 150 girls have already registered to take part in Miss Rwanda 2018, two weeks after organisers announced that registration was open. According to Dieudonne Ishimwe, the CEO of Rwanda Inspiration Back-Up, the organises of the annual national beauty pageant, this year has already attracted more interested contestants than the previous editions. The judges for last year’s pageant were picked from different disciplines. “We are seeing more girls interested in the Miss Rwanda crown. We already have more than 150 registered,” he said. “This means that the judges will have a lot of work to do in the pre-selection process to pick out the best. This is good for Miss Rwanda, it means that more people are increasingly seeing the importance of the pageant,” said Ishimwe. Registration opened on December 14. Ishimwe said, so far, the City of Kigali has attracted more entrants any other part of the country. Ishimwe said this year’s contest will come with major changes, including increasing the number of contestants picked from the pre-selection stage to 30 up from 25. At the national level, 20 girls will be picked from the 30 to proceed to the finals and the boot camp, instead of 15 However, the number of runner-ups has been reduced to two instead of four as was the case previously, while three best projects from those pitched by contestants will be selected and implemented, rather than focussing on only the winner’s project. Pre-selection activities will kick off on January 13 in Musanze District where representatives of Northern Province will be picked, while on January 14, Miss Rwanda 2018 pre-selection event will go to Rubavu District, Western Province. On January 20, Miss Rwanda 2018 pre-selection will go to Huye in Southern Province and on January 21, pre-selection will take place in Kayonza, Eastern Province before the City of Kigali on January 27. The grand finale where the replacement of reigning Miss Rwanda Elsa Iradukunda will be chosen will take place on February 24 at Kigali Convention Centre (KCC). The winner will walk away with a brand new car and several other prizes from key sponsors, including Cogebanque and RwandAir. editorial@newtimes.co.rw.
