Governor Amason Kingi said when he crowned the beauty queen he did not know that she was not from Kilifi. “We are not against her as a person. We have learned she is not from this county and that she has little knowledge about Kilifi. If she knew the traditions, culture and language, then she would be accepted because Kilifi is a cosmopolitan county,” he said.
“It will be difficult for her to handle important roles in Agriculture, Environment and in marketing Kilifi as a tourist destination,” Kingi said. Trade Executive Alphonce Tokali said it was an innocent mistake and they are not blaming anyone.
Speaking to the Star yesterday, he said that Mage comes from Mombasa. Tokali said de-crowning plans came after residents said Mage is not connecting with them.
“She has not lived in Kilifi and therefore doesn’t know the culture, language and traditions. The lady has been consulted and we have agreed on the same,” he said. Tokali said the county has been given another opportunity by Miss Kenya Limited to do a re-run.
Mage said she is sad at the unfolding of the events as she rightly won. “I put all efforts in this competition and what they want me to do is unjust and cruel. It was the judge’s decision,” she said.
Mage said even after the organisers knew that she was from Bombolulu they did not disqualify her. “Some other contestants were also not from Kilifi. One hailed from Tudor,” she said. Mage said that she received a call from Nairobi that she will be de-crowned.
“I went for auditions in Hotel Titanic where we were 35 contestants and I was chosen among the 20 contestants to proceed to the next step that is - Heat One which was held on 2nd of September at Stardust in Malindi. There again I was chosen among the ten finalist who were to proceed to the finals on the 5th of October at Mnarani Club in Kilifi. In Kilifi I was declared the winner,” she said.
Mage said that she received a call from Nairobi that she will be de-crowned. “I together with the first runner up Hawaah Mwendwa and second runners up Ann Maura received a shocking phone call from a man who said to be from the national tourism office in Nairobi telling us to step down, that we were not from Kilifi County,” she said. Mage was crowned by the area Governor at Mnarani Club in Kilifi town on October 5 this year.
[The star]