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Anita Maina

Anita Maina of Nairobi, Kenya won Miss Universe Kenya in 2004. It is the inaugural edition of the national beauty pageant that selects Kenya’s Miss Universe candidate.

Before Miss Universe Kenya 2004, Kenya was represented in Miss Universe by Miss Kenya. Here are the first four women who held the Miss Universe Kenya title:

After Maina was crowned Miss Universe Kenya 2004, reports emerged claiming that she could not eloquently express herself in English. In response, she made several public appearances and participated in charity events where she displayed her mastery of the English language.

Maina was 21 when she represented Kenya at Miss Universe 2004. This made her the fifth woman to represent the African country in Miss Universe.

Miss Universe 2004

Hosted by Billy Bush and Daisy Fuentes, the Miss Universe 2004 coronation night was held at the Centro de Exposiciones y Convenciones Mitad del Mundo (CEMEXPO) in Quito, Ecuador on June 1, 2004. Maina competed against 79 other candidates including Jennifer Hawkins of Australia, Menaye Ama Adamede Donkor of Ghana and Laia Manetti of Italy.

It was Hawkins who won the Miss Universe 2004 crown while Maina was unplaced. The only African candidate who placed was Telma Sonhi of Angola, who finished in the Top 15.

Donkor and Manetti were also unplaced. On March 18, 2005, Maina, Donkor and Manetti participated in an event in Ghana to raise funds for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) orphans.

Hawkins is the second Miss Universe from Australia. On December 22, 2024, she turned 41.