By Rahim Abdul
The Miss Malawi Organisation has broken its silence on the growing controversy surrounding the pageant, addressing concerns over prize money, international opportunities, contracts, sponsorship payments and the ownership of the Miss Malawi crown.
In a statement, the organisation said the controversy had prompted it to clarify its position, particularly following criticism surrounding Miss Malawi 2026 Thandie Chisi and other contestants.
The organisation said all three winners have received their prize money after Goshen City remitted the full amount to the organisation.
According to the statement, Chisi received K30 million, first runner-up Ireen Navicha was awarded K7 million, while second runner-up Tina Mkombezi received K5 million.
On international opportunities, the organisation dismissed claims that it deliberately blocked Chisi from representing Malawi at international pageants. It said opportunities had been made available to her and that efforts were made to engage her and resolve concerns surrounding her participation.
The organisation also addressed questions surrounding the contractual relationship with Chisi, saying the initial agreement presented to her in January was never signed by the reigning Miss Malawi.
Regarding an alleged outstanding payment from BBS Cosmetics, the organisation said Chisi initially received approximately 20 percent of the amount due to her, with the remaining balance later settled in full.
The Miss Malawi Organisation further sought to clarify the controversy surrounding the pageant crown, saying two crowns of the same make and model were produced by the same supplier, Akali Jewellery.
It said the existence of the two similar crowns should not be interpreted as evidence that one crown was unlawfully taken from another person.
The organisation said its decision to remain largely silent on the issues was deliberate, suggesting that it had chosen not to engage publicly in the dispute until now.
However, it expressed concern over what it described as online criticism and bullying targeting first runner-up Ireen Navicha.
The latest statement is expected to add another dimension to the ongoing debate surrounding the Miss Malawi pageant, as questions continue to emerge over the treatment of contestants and the management of the competition.
