Thandi does not have international experience for Miss World – Miss Malawi Organisers
‘Politics played no role in our decision to pick Ireen Navicha’
The Miss Malawi Organisation has denied that politics influenced its decision to select First Princess Ireen Navicha to represent Malawi at Miss World. Instead, organisers say Navicha was chosen because she was the only finalist with international pageant experience, unlike reigning Miss Malawi Thandi Chisi.
Speaking to Malawi24, Miss Malawi Chief Operations Officer Godfrey Kambewa dismissed suggestions that Navicha was favoured because she is the daughter of Gender Minister Mary Navicha, a senior member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Kambewa said Navicha has previously represented Malawi at international beauty pageants, including Miss Teen Universe and Miss Culture Globe.
“We didn’t want to push and squeeze the current Miss Malawi to prepare for the international stage. Looking at the top 10 finalists, only Navicha has experience competing internationally,” Kambewa said.
According to Kambewa, the Miss Malawi Organisation only secured the Miss World licence last week, leaving little time to prepare a contestant for the global competition.
He said the board decided it would be unfair to rush Chisi into Miss World without adequate preparation.
Kambewa insisted the decision was made independently by the Miss Malawi board and had nothing to do with Navicha’s family background or her mother’s position in government.
He added that sending a runner-up to represent a country at Miss World is not unusual, saying several countries have done the same when circumstances required it.
Kambewa also revealed that contestants were asked during the Miss Malawi competition which international pageants they would prefer to represent Malawi at because each competition has different requirements.
He said some pageants place greater emphasis on physical beauty, while Miss World focuses more on intelligence, advocacy and communication skills.
“What matters now is not who is going, but that Malawi will be represented. We should all rally behind our country,” he said.
Kambewa also dismissed social media claims that organisers took Chisi’s crown and handed it to Navicha.
He said the organisation owns three identical crowns purchased as backups. Chisi has retained her Miss Malawi crown, while Navicha was presented with another identical crown to wear as Malawi’s representative at Miss World.
The decision has sparked intense debate on social media, with some questioning why the reigning Miss Malawi will not represent the country. Others have alleged that politics influenced the selection because Navicha is the daughter of a Cabinet minister.
However, Kambewa’s latest explanation contradicts the organisation’s earlier position that Thandi’s age was one of the primary reasons she was not selected. With international pageant experience now cited as the deciding factor, the organisers did not explain why they are still considering sending the very inexperienced Thandi to Miss Universe, as a Miss Malawi spokesperson had earlier told one of the local media outlets.
Earlier this week, the organisation said Chisi was ineligible because of her age. Malawi24 subsequently reported that the 27-year-old falls within Miss World’s published eligibility rules, which allow contestants aged 17 to 27. Chisi will still be 27 when the competition takes place on 5 September.
Miss World has also confirmed several 27-year-old contestants for this year’s competition, including representatives from South Africa, Scotland, Argentina, Chile, Nepal, Guyana and the Bahamas.