I almost Quit handling Miss Uganda Franchise – Brenda Nanyonjo

Ahead of the Miss Uganda grand finale on October 10 to be held at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, Steven Odeke sits down to discuss the Miss Uganda beauty pageant with the longest licence holder of the franchise, Brenda Nanyonjo. She tells of when she almost quit the whole thing and why Miss Uganda queens are yet to match Miss World Africa (2018) Queen Abenakyo’s feat.

Hello Brenda, congratulations upon holding the Miss Uganda licence for 15 years. How has it been?

I must say, it has not been an easy journey. I have been tried, tested and disappointed many times, but I have learnt a lot from all of it.

What do you think has been your biggest achievement during your time as a Miss Uganda licence holder?

I wouldn’t call it one big achievement but achievements. First is having the licence for 15 years. I remember being asked in our first press conference how long I intended to have the licence for, and my answer was atleast 10 years. Not knowing at the time if I could even make five years. Secondly, it was winning the Miss World Africa title in 2018 at the Miss World with Queen Quiin Abenakyo. It is also during our reign that we hosted the Miss World Chairman and CEO Julia Moley and the reigning Miss World Vannessa Ponce in 2019.

The Miss Uganda contestants 2026 pose for the cameras at a recent event. File Photo

Has there been a time during your reign as licence holder when you felt like quitting the whole thing? If so, when and why?

Yes, in 2014 our main sponsor for three years left, and I was pregnant at the time. We tried our best to look for sponsors, but it seemed too late to find one. I was getting heavier by the day, but just a week before I booked my flight to leave the country, Gen. Salim Saleh came to our rescue through a gentleman called Paddy Masembe.

What have been your main challenges holding the licence? How have you overcome them?

For me the biggest challenge has been the lack of support for preparations and travel to the Miss World pageant yet; at that stage, we are representing the whole country. Thankfully, it is getting better now with the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) coming on board. The Ministry of Tourism gave support to us during the Miss World journey, while UTB has been in full support during this year’s regional searches.

After Queen Quiin Abenakyo’s success on the global stage, Miss Uganda has failed to meet those standards on the international level. Why is that the case?

That’s not true; after Abenakyo’s performance, we have been performing really well at Miss World, winning “Beauty with A Purpose” twice in a row, in 2024 and 2025 with Hannah Karema and Natasha Nyonyozi. Trivia: Elle Muhoza's performance this year at Miss World had her finish in the Top Five in Multimedia Africa and the Top Six in the “Beauty With A Purpose” category. We are also rated as one of the top pageants in Africa.

Are the girls not prepared well to do well on the international stage?

The girls are prepared very well and for months, but as Ugandans we also need to do our part when the Queen is representing at the Miss World. That is, travel with us to the hosting countries if you can or support us by voting in every way possible; that is all that counts. You cannot do nothing to show your support and then ask why we sometimes don’t place well at the big stage; it is a joint effort.

During the pageant’s bootcamp period, we have heard a few times of allegations of favouritism from some contestants. How have you dealt with such allegations?

Such allegations are always expected in all competitions, even at bigger platforms like the football World Cup and many other talent competitions, so it’s not new. It is expected.

All queens who have been crowned during your reign always have beauty with a purpose. Project they promise to pursue during the competition? Has there been a successful project from your queens? If so, tell us which ones.

Yes, they are there. Hannah Karema pursued quality education for girls, Natasha Nyonyozi pursued autism awareness, and Quiin Abenakyo shed light on teenage pregnancy awareness.

So, as we head to the grand finale on Saturday, do you see potential in the current contestants to win Miss World Africa or even the ultimate crown?

Yes, as with all the other years, we see potential in whoever wins the crown on Saturday.

What should we expect at the grand finale?

Expect a great show with a beautiful stage and great entertainment from Abeeka Band, Grace Nakimera and Karole Kasita.

Where do you see Miss Uganda in the future?

We are working on one day bringing the Miss World title home