The Miss Uganda pageant is back with an exhilarating approach targeting fresh talent for 2023.
Due to the disruptions brought about by the covid-19 pandemic, the organizers are looking forwarding to making a statement in this year’s edition with the theme, “Beauty Beyond Looks.”
The search is kicking off this month and by March, the crown will be settling on a new Queen.
Participants will undergo mandatory regional auditions so as to get representatives from each region starting with Arua from January 9 to 11 and on to Gulu from January 12 to 14, Fort Portal from January 20 to 22, Masaka from January 27 to 29, Jinja from February 3 to 5 and then to Kampala for the final pre-selection from February 8 to 9.
According to Brenda Nanyonjo, the organizer of Miss Uganda, the grand finale will be on March 17, 2023 and for the girls who want to contest, the applicant must be between 18 and 25 years, a Ugandan in possession of a national identity card or passport, with minimum education level of senior six.
It is important to note that one should not be married or engaged, not a divorcee and should not have any visible tattoos.
“For the first time, we have also introduced a registration fee of Shs 20,000 which every contestant will pay when they come to audition,” Nanyonjo said.
Kevin Zziwa, CEO Kezzi Entertainment Ltd, the license owners of Miss Uganda, said they have partnered with StarTimes to have the Miss Uganda competitions showcased as a reality TV show.
The show will include a residential boot camp, beauty and fashion contests, the beach beauty and sports challenge and the adventure and talent contests. It will also have periodic evictions, confession cameras, audience interactivity, all before the crowning ceremony.
“We have been asked so many times what we do and teach these girls while in boot camp … we are going to be showing the behind-the-scenes of the Miss Uganda competition and show the viewers what the girls go through [for one to be] crowned Miss Uganda,” Zziwa said.
Journey to the Crown starts showing in January on StarTimes’ Makula Channel from 8 pm, from Friday to Sunday.
The Miss Uganda pageant was last held in July 2019, where Oliver Nakakande was crowned winner. However, in April 2021, Elizabeth Bagaya, who was Nakakande’s first runner-up was named Miss Uganda, because Nakakande had gone abroad to pursue her studies and was unable to execute duties of her office.
