Evelyn Njambi Photo: Courtesy

A charming and rather social but obviously cautious Miss World Kenya Evelyn Njambi lends a smile, which then sprouts into a chuckle.

“First, let me introduce myself as the Miss World Kenya. I don’t think all this has happened by default as God does everything with a plan,” she opens up.

It has been two weeks since Evelyn Njambi, who was the first runner-up during the Miss World Kenya competition that took place last December in Kilifi, was handed the crown following disciplinary issues that saw the then reigning beauty queen Roshanara Ebrahim get dethroned.

The 23-year-old interior design student at Maseno University says that as much as there has been so much vibe about her crowning with her predecessor stealing headlines, she is so well aware that all eyes are now on her.

“After it is all said and done, I have the duty to represent Kenya well when the Miss World event comes in December. I have started my preparations already and with all the assistance I am getting from Ashleys Kenya Limited, the Miss World Kenya pageant holders and Terry Mungai, the CEO, I have no doubt in my mind that I will do well,” she tells Pulse.

Prior to her crowning, Evelyne, was Miss World Kenya Kiambu County 2016 and during her reign as Miss World Kenya Kiambu, she engaged in various activities for her county, including supporting children to access quality education. She has worked with the Red Cross chapter in Kiambu to donate text books and uniform to children, as well as sanitary towels to girls.

“I am excited to be Miss World Kenya 2016. The journey ahead is tough with such a short time and I appeal to the public to support me both towards my international competition and my Beauty with a Purpose project of advocating against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in our beautiful country,” she remarks.

“Evelyne is a diligent lady, and although she has her work cut out for her, I am confident she will rise to the occasion and represent the country well at the Miss World Finals in December,” says Terry.

She also announced that the Miss World office has created an opportunity for Kenyan fashion designers to showcase their work at the international finals. “We have a selection of top Kenyan fashion designers putting together a series of Kenyan inspired couture gowns to be showcased at the competition. The top designer will have a chance to not only dress Miss World Kenya, but will also go on an all-expenses paid trip to see their dress on the global stage,” she reveals.

The Miss World 2016 competition has attracted beauty queens from over 130 countries.

It has been two weeks of drama in this glamourous world as the disqualified Roshanara threatened to take legal action against her former bosses. After threatening to take legal action against the Miss World Kenya office for dethroning her out of alleged “misconduct” claims, the Miss World Kenya office, early this week said it is ready to produce evidence in court should Roshanara Ebrahim choose to go down that route.

Last week, the former beauty queen, who was meant to represent Kenya in the Miss World competition, claimed that her dethronement lacked any basis, claiming that she was aggrieved by the action and threatened to take legal recourse.

On Friday evening, she went ahead to appear on a live TV interview claiming that the Miss World Kenya office had “frustrated” her during her six months of reign. Speaking to us, the Miss World Kenya pageant holder Terry Mungai, the CEO, Ashleys Kenya said she was ready to respond should Roshanara go to court.

She faulted the model saying she had damning evidence that led to her dethronement and further adding that she was only holding the information back to save Roshanara from public shame. Rumour has it that the pictures being held by Terry’s office are graphic.

“The truth is that we have never mistreated her as a crown holder. How could we? She was our beauty queen. She was being paid Sh30,000 a month for her charity work and everything that is required of us to do for her, including wardrobe and photography was being executed. All this we can prove,” Terry told Pulse.

“Our focus is now on preparing the new beauty queen and we are not letting any sideshows derail us. We appeal to all Kenyans to support her bid,” Terry concludes.