Miss Uganda pageant winner heads to USA in first assignment

The first assignment for the Miss Uganda pageant winner this year will be in the United States of America just weeks after being crowned, the organisers have said.

Early this month, a cluster of 23 girls were unveiled as finalists at Sheraton Hotel ahead of the 2018 Miss Uganda edition. Speaking during the unveiling, CEO Miss Uganda, Brenda Nanyonjo announced the now NBS TV sponsored beauty contest had returned with a bang.

With the grand finale for the pageant expected August 10, Nanyonjo now says a plan has been mapped out for the winner, with her first trip scheduled weeks later to USA capital, Washington DC.

Nanyonjo adds that the trip is part of a social corporate responsibility program dubbed Clean Water campaign, with their partners- UNAA Causes, a Ugandan Diaspora group.

“Miss Uganda winner gets to go to DC, unlike the previous queens that their first assignment is miss world, this year, the queen’s first assignment will be to the united states in Washington DC to fundraise for the clean water campaign.”

The Miss Uganda franchise and Ugandans in North America under their umbrella UNAA Causes entered a partnership in 2016 to raise resources to provide clean and accessible water to fellow Ugandans back home.

Approximately 23,000 Ugandans die each year due to diarrhoea including 19,700 children under the age of 5, who die each year due to the disease. Reports show that about 50 per cent of the people within the city centres lack access to clean water. One out of every five people in Uganda do not have access to water at all. While those who have access to clean water face a high risk or use contaminated water.

The resources to facilitate the campaign will be obtained from the annual festival held by UNAA Causes in USA during the summer independence holiday (August 31- September 3).

This year’s event will take place at Gaylord Harbour in Washington DC with the clean water campaign fundraiser scheduled during the fashion weekend that will feature; Uganda’s fashion designers Santa Anzo of Arapapa, Fatumah Asha and Anita Beryl.

The fashion weekend has also attracted Ugandan top model scout Joram Muzira Job, East African beauty queens; Liliane Iradukunda (reigning Miss Rwanda) and Jihan Dmark (Miss Universe Tanzania).

During the fete, artistes led by Nigerian Rude Boy of the defunct Psquare group, Ugandan singers; David Lutalo, Lydia Jazmine, David Lutalo, Geo Steady, Chris Evans, Jazz Maestro Isiah Katumwa will entertain the crowds while the ever green Ugandan oldest band Afrigo will be the icing on the cake as they will belt out tunes during a 6-hour boat cruise.