Lilian crowned Miss Tanzania USA

Dar es Salaam. Beauty pageantry in Tanzania is no longer the glamorous event that it was some eight years ago, to be in precise it is an industry plagued with a myriad of issues, therefore in search for redemption.

However, thousands of miles away from home in Washington DC some home grown talent are perhaps showing Lundenga and Co just how they should do it.

Over the weekend the Miss Tanzania USA franchise crowned Lilian Muttakyawa as their beauty queen at a ceremony that was witnessed by several Tanzanians residing in the US.’

Lillian a registered nurse in critical care unit and daughter of a famous music promoter had beaten a bevy of beauties to succeed Ayesha Kamara whose term had come to an end.

Those in attendance had travelled from almost every corner of the US and beyond including former Tanzanian ambassador to the US Liberata Mulamula, and comedian Masanja they were all there to celebrate Tanzania’s diversity.

For her efforts Lilian took home a crown and sash plus a slot to compete in the Miss Africa USA.

She also took home a cash prize as well as other gifts such as gift baskets, etc. The second and third runners- up also get sashes and win prizes.

Her coronation came in a week when the minister whose docket handles cultural issues in Tanzania Dr Harrison Mwakyembe warned organisers of such contest to make sure they were professional.

Though it’s equated to failure these days locally, Tanzanians in the Disapora continue celebrating the beauty that was bequeathed to them by their motherland.

To them it is an event that offers them the opportunity to reconnect with their roots in Africa and their unique identity that makes them who they are.

From the traditional regalia to the dances that are performed they all served as a reminder that they are off springs of a certain place in the land of Kilimanjaro.

The US edition of Miss Tanzania is run by Winnie Casey who has held the franchise ever since it was founded.

She believes in an ideal situation every individual is supposed to be proud of his roots irrespective of the reasons that took them to the US and she is happy that the situation in the US allows such a celebration.

“We celebrate our roots because without this we would be nobody and that is why we founded this edition of Miss Tanzania,” says Casey who also owns a fashion line called Mitindonite.

According to her besides educating Tanzanians and other nationals in the US about our Tanzania the pageant helps to improve relationships between Tanzania and the US.

“It promotes Tanzanian culture to the multi-cultural community based in the United States by showcasing her beauty to the world,” she says.

She adds: We strongly believe in the tourism message of Tanzania through Miss Tanzania USA and are proud to help attract both domestic and international visitors as well investors. Our newly crowned Miss Tanzania USA 2017, Lilian Mutakyawa, will be a positive role model and portray the true face, creative, supportive and multicultural aspect of Tanzania that the whole world needs to see.

On the coronation night the African print, Maasai Shuka and Kanga dominated the designs that the girls wore on the runway.

The Kanga according to the organisers is one of most important components, if not the essence of the pageant as they seek to remain as African as possible.

“The Kanga is a very colorful, versatile piece of cloth that can be worn in many ways. During the Miss Tanzania USA, the outfits that the contestants wear are made mainly of Kanga,” says Winnie Casey. The winners is now set to visit Tanzania later this year in a campaign to promote local tourist destination in the US