25 Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2023 candidates competing in Braeside, Harare

Tendai Hunda was runner-up to Miss Zimbabwe 2014 Thabiso Phiri and Zimbabwe’s Miss World 2014 candidate. On April 4, 2023, Hunda officially became the national director of Miss Universe Zimbabwe.

Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2023 contestants

On September 16, 2023, the new Miss Universe Zimbabwe will be crowned at the Harare Hippodrome in Braeside, Harare, Zimbabwe. It is the third edition of the national beauty pageant that selects the country’s Miss Universe candidate and its first edition under Hunda’s directorship.

There are 25 women competing for the Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2023 crown. Here are the candidates:

1. Allyfina Mwanyali (Gweru)
2. Amanda Mpofu (Bulawayo)
3. Angela Guta (Edmonton, Canada’s Zimbabwean community)
4. Audrey Ward (London, England’s Zimbabwean community)
5. Ayanda Candice Sibanda (Bulawayo)
6. Brooke Bruk Jackson (Harare)
7. Chelsea Dube (Harare)
8. Chipo Mandiudza (Harare)
9. Gamuchirai Jonhera (Masvingo)
10. Hailey Chawapiwa (Harare)
11. Kelsie Sithole (Harare)
12. Krystal Osieki (Kwekwe)
13. Life Matunzeni (Mutare)
14. Monalisa Kandava (Bulawayo)
15. Nicole Musiyarira (Mutare)
16. Nokutenda Marumbwa (Lusaka, Zambia’s Zimbabwean community)
17. Noliwe Shand (Harare)
18. Prudence Moyo (Bulawayo)
19. Ruvimbo Chirunga (Chitungwiza)
20. Stacey Salaman (Bulawayo)
21. Tariro Katuruza (Harare)
22. Tashinga Musara (Chitungwiza)
23. Thando Mitcho (Beitbridge)
24. Yamikani Nyenga (Maryland, United States’ Zimbabwean community)
25. Zarah East (Bulawayo)

Currently, Zimbabwe has one Miss Universe placement. The African country was represented in the international beauty pageant by Yvette D’Almeida-Chakras in 1994, Langa Sibanda-Lloyd in 1996, Lorraine Magwenzi in 1997, Rachel Stuart in 1998, Corinne Crewe in 2000 and Tsungai Muswerakuenda in 2001.

Zimbabwe’s Miss Universe representative was the winner of Miss Zimbabwe Universe between 1994 and 1997 and Miss Paradise Competition between 1998 and 2000. On May 12, 2000, Crewe competed against 78 other Miss Universe 2000 candidates at the Eleftheria Indoor Hall in Nicosia, Cyprus and finished in the Top 10.

Muswerakeunda won the inaugural edition of Miss Universe Zimbabwe under Yvette D’Almeida Chakras‘s directorship. The winner of the second edition, which was held in 2011, was Lisa Morgan, who represented Zimbabwe at Miss International 2011 instead of Miss Universe 2011.