Uganda's Ellah evicted from Big Brother house

By Joseph Kizza

Again, it’s the same-old storyline for Uganda when it comes to Big Brother Africa matters. It is clear we are resigned to a script that does not see us as good enough for the ultimate winner's spot yet.

Nine years, nine editions on, and our representatives have flown in and then out of South Africa – the show’s host nation – without the grand prize money. And the latest to highlight that unflattering pattern is Ellah (Stella Nantumbwe), who was among four contestants evicted from the house Sunday night.

The former Miss Uganda had looked on course to making it to the final lap – and stand a one-in-eight shot at winning the $300,000 (a cool 830 million Ugandan shillings) jackpot – but, alas, she could only go as far as Day 56 . . . a few days shy of the grand finale.

Eight contestants are now left to battle it out for the grand prize, and the money will land in the pockets of any of these Hotspots: Butterphly (Zimbabwe), Idris (Tanzania), JJ (Zimbabwe), M'am Bea (Ghana), Macky 2 (Zambia), Nhlanhla (South Africa), Sipe(Malawi) and Tayo (Nigeria).

To get here, these finalists had to see Ellah, the Botswanan pair of Goitse and Sheila, and Mozambique’s Trezagah kicked out of the house to afford them more breathing space for the final week of the reality TV show.

The second-last week had started with all housemates eligible for possible nomination. Goitse, Idris, JJ, Macky 2, Sheilla, Sipe and Tayo garnered the most nominations and so were on the chopping block.

So, how did Ellah get booted out yet you don’t see her name on this final nominees list?

Well, you’ve got Macky 2 to thank for.

Here’s how: since the Zambian was the Head of House for the week, he was immune from possible eviction. So what does he do? In what you would call a smart move, on his part, to increase his chances of winning the game, he opted to include Ellah – who had come off as a huge threat in the game – on the list of nominees.

So you can say that Macky 2 was the beginning of the end of Ellah’s journey in the house.

Despite not bringing home the money, the Ugandan will take heart from making it so far into the game that had plenty of twists – one of which was introducing fake housemates amongst the existing contestants.  She side-stepped all of that, but one move she failed to dodge was the one that finally undid her. The Macky 2 move.

Her countrymate Esther was evicted early into the game – second week. Remember that earlier in that week, Ellah was added on the nominees list by the then-Head of House Samantha (evicted on Day 42 – week six). She survived by means of a tie-breaker rule application, but Esther did not since she had gained no vote.

The following week (three), again the remaining Ugandan housemate was on the chopping block, and still got out of it unharmed. She got a break from possible eviction on Week Four, but her relief was short-lived as she found herself back on the nominees list the week that followed.

But she could only survive two more weeks – including Week Seven which saw no evictions, with the return of the fake housemates (a select group of contestants from past editions) – until her time finally ran out just when she could sniff the jackpot not far away.


Uganda’s representatives in Big Brother Africa

Big Brother Africa 1 (hosted by Mark Pilgrim)

Gaetano Kaggwa – finished in 4th place

Big Brother Africa 2 (hosted by Kabelo "KB" Ngakane)

Maureen Namatovu – finished in 4th place

Big Brother Africa 3 (hosted by Kabelo "KB" Ngakane)

Morris Herbet Mugisha – finished in 6th place

Big Brother Africa 4: The Revolution (hosted by Ikponmwosa "IK" Osakioduwa)

Hannington Kuteesa – finished in 15th place

Filbert Okure – finished in 20th place

Big Brother Africa 5: All-Stars (Ikponmwosa "IK" Osakioduwa)

Hannington Kuteesa – was ejected on Day 61 for physically assaulting another housemate Lerato

Big Brother Africa 6: Amplified (Ikponmwosa "IK" Osakioduwa)

Sharon (O) Salmon Nalukenge – finished in 5th place

Ernest Wasake – finished in 21st place

Big Brother Africa 7: StarGame! (Ikponmwosa "IK" Osakioduwa)

Kyle Duncan Kushaba – finished in 5th place

Jannette Georgina Lutaaya – finished in 7th place

Big Brother Africa 8: The Chase (Ikponmwosa "IK" Osakioduwa)

Isaac Katwe Lugudde (LK4) – finished in 26th place

Charles Mwiyeretsi (Denzel) – finished in 28th place (he was the first housemate to be evicted)

Big Brother Africa 9: Hot-Shots (Ikponmwosa "IK" Osakioduwa)

Stella Nantumbwe – finished in 9th place

Esther Namuddu – finished in 23rd place



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