By Dickson Bandera
Zimbabwe’s Brunette Makanaka Makanyiso reached the Top 12 at the Miss World 2026 final in Vietnam, delivering the country one of its strongest performances at the global beauty pageant in recent years.
Makanyiso, a 26-year-old pharmacist, advanced through several stages of the competition after representing Zimbabwe among 111 contestants at the 75th anniversary edition of Miss World.
She secured a place in the Top 20 after emerging among the leading contestants in the Beauty With a Purpose competition, which recognises contestants for the impact of their community initiatives.
She was subsequently named among the Top 12 finalists at Saturday’s final in Nha Trang.
The Zimbabwean contestant had earlier been selected among six African finalists in the Beauty With a Purpose challenge for her work focused on youth empowerment.
Her progress into the final stages generated considerable interest in Zimbabwe, where supporters followed her campaign and rallied behind her bid for the country’s first Miss World crown.
Makanyiso was crowned Miss World Zimbabwe in June and became Zimbabwe’s 30th representative at the international pageant. The Miss World organisation said Zimbabwe had recorded seven placements in the competition before this year, with its best previous result coming from Angeline Musasiwa, who finished third runner-up in 1994.
The 2026 title was won by Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic. Spain’s Elisabeth Reynes Alabern finished second, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty placed third.
For Zimbabwe, Makanyiso’s Top 12 finish marks a notable result on the international pageant stage and caps a campaign in which she combined competition with advocacy on youth empowerment.
