A mix-up in Malawi over Miss World 2026 has sparked controversy after beauty queen Thandi Chisi was replaced as the country’s representative.
Chisi had won the Miss Malawi contest and was crowned on 13 December in Lilongwe, hoping to take part in the Miss World pageant.
However, organisers have now selected the first runner-up, Ireen Navicha, the daughter of Malawi’s Cabinet Minister Mary Navicha to compete on the global stage.
The decision has sparked widespread backlash, raising questions about transparency and fairness.
This comes at a critical time for the southern African country as it returns to the global stage after a 14-year absence.
Initially, the Miss Malawi organisers cited Chisi’s age for replacing her, claiming she was above the Miss World age limit.
However, this quickly came under scrutiny, as official guidelines generally cover contestants aged 17 to 27, and Chisi will still be 27 at the time of the pageant, due to take place from 9 August to 5 September 2026 in Vietnam.
The Miss Malawi Organisation had apologised for the mix-up, with local media quoting its Chief Executive Benedette Mweso as saying they ‘’take full responsibility for causing the age eligibility confusion.’’
However, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s Goshen City, the pageant’s principal sponsor, gave another excuse for not choosing the reigning queen.
It explained it was because of its board’s ‘’new approach to creating opportunities for all finalists’’ and that the selected finalist has ‘’international experience’’.
Local media quoted the Miss Malawi board Chairperson, Prophetess Mary Bushiri, as saying “international opportunities would not be limited to the winner alone, but would also be made available to the first and second runners-up, as well as other finalists.”
Organisers have not said whether they will reverse their decision.
However, Miss World has confirmed on its website that Ireen Navicha will be Malawi’s representative, signalling the window has closed for Thandi Chisi.
Reacting to the apparent snub, Chisi sounded upbeat, saying a “crown does not make a Queen; character does. And no circumstance can take that away.”
In a statement on 27 July, the Malawi beauty queen said she was confident that ‘’in due course, the relevant facts will emerge'', promising to address the matter ‘’openly and responsibly at the appropriate time.”
