Miss Arua organisers flee
May 16, 2008
THE last time a Miss Arua beauty pageant was held in Arua was 2006. So when the event returned recently, revelers were excited. Shockingly, the show was marred by allegations of favouritism and backhand methods in the selection of the front-runners.
THE last time a Miss Arua beauty pageant was held in Arua was 2006. So when the event returned recently, revelers were excited. Shockingly, the show was marred by allegations of favouritism and backhand methods in the selection of the front-runners.
What had started as a smooth catwalk and fashion showpiece ended in rowdiness when Joan Atieno was declared winner. Enraged fans openly contested the judges’ decision and started throwing ‘missiles’ at the podium of honour.
Everybody at the venue seemed to agree that Hope Opileni, a Kampala High School student, deserved the crown. Even the emcee, DJ Fat Chris of Nile FM, seemed to agree with the crowd. Fearing for their lives, the organisers abandoned the the venue and the new beauty queen, with her gift of a GTV decoder and disappeared through the backdoor.
A stranded Atieno pleaded with the journalists to secure her property since fans threatened to withdraw it and hand it over to Opileni. The first runner up was Fancy Idonia followed by Connie Bako who got a DVD and CD walkman respectively.
What had started as a smooth catwalk and fashion showpiece ended in rowdiness when Joan Atieno was declared winner. Enraged fans openly contested the judges’ decision and started throwing ‘missiles’ at the podium of honour.
Everybody at the venue seemed to agree that Hope Opileni, a Kampala High School student, deserved the crown. Even the emcee, DJ Fat Chris of Nile FM, seemed to agree with the crowd. Fearing for their lives, the organisers abandoned the the venue and the new beauty queen, with her gift of a GTV decoder and disappeared through the backdoor.
A stranded Atieno pleaded with the journalists to secure her property since fans threatened to withdraw it and hand it over to Opileni. The first runner up was Fancy Idonia followed by Connie Bako who got a DVD and CD walkman respectively.