Namiiro is new Miss Uganda
Sep 28, 2009
IT was a double victory for Maria Namiiro. The 21-year-old UK-based beauty who won Miss Uganda UK at London’s Club Troxy in June this year, was announced the new beauty queen at the Miss Uganda 2009 beauty pageant, Saturday night, at the Imperial Royale
By Gilbert Mwijuke
IT was a double victory for Maria Namiiro. The 21-year-old UK-based beauty who won Miss Uganda UK at London’s Club Troxy in June this year, was announced the new beauty queen at the Miss Uganda 2009 beauty pageant, Saturday night, at the Imperial Royale Hotel.
Namiiro, who takes over from Dora Mwima, will represent Uganda at this year’s MissWorld contest in South Africa. She also wins an all-expensespaid trip to the UK and a 12-month membership at Body Joy Health Club.
The charming and eloquent air hostess was selected from five finalists chosen from 10 contestants by a team of judges mainly from the UK.
These were Sola Oyedade, the director Mahogany Models, Europe’s largest modelling agency for models of colour; Alan Crouch, director of African Art & Heritage, which promoters musical talent and culture in the UK; Eva Mbabazi, owner Eva Models in the UK and Rajesh Nair, director, Miss India Uganda beauty contest.
However, the judges, who clearly indicated they were interested in a girl who stood the biggest chance to win for Uganda at this year’s MissWorld, said it was a very close call between Namiiro and Joan Atieno, 18, the first runner-up. Caroline Nantumbwe, 23, was the second runner-up.
This year, a Mr. Uganda, Brian Lukiya was crowned. He will represent Uganda at the Mr.World contest in South Korea, next year.
In the deciding questions that preceded the announcement of the winner, Namiiro was asked what she would change about mankind if she had a magic wand. “I would ensure that we (human beings) are able to speak to animals. It would be nice if we got to know what they (animals) think about us,†she replied confidently, earning herself a standing ovation.
“I will win the MissWorld title for Uganda,†she told an apparently unconvinced audience.
Joyce Church, the co-organiser expressed shock at Namiiro’s Victory.
“I expected someone else to win,†she said. “But I guess the judges had their own standards,†she said, echoing sentiments earlier expressed by Oyedade. Performance Production, the UKbased company that organised this year’s Miss Uganda-UK took over the Miss Uganda franchise this year.
Additional reporting by Sebidde Kiryowa
IT was a double victory for Maria Namiiro. The 21-year-old UK-based beauty who won Miss Uganda UK at London’s Club Troxy in June this year, was announced the new beauty queen at the Miss Uganda 2009 beauty pageant, Saturday night, at the Imperial Royale Hotel.
Namiiro, who takes over from Dora Mwima, will represent Uganda at this year’s MissWorld contest in South Africa. She also wins an all-expensespaid trip to the UK and a 12-month membership at Body Joy Health Club.
The charming and eloquent air hostess was selected from five finalists chosen from 10 contestants by a team of judges mainly from the UK.
These were Sola Oyedade, the director Mahogany Models, Europe’s largest modelling agency for models of colour; Alan Crouch, director of African Art & Heritage, which promoters musical talent and culture in the UK; Eva Mbabazi, owner Eva Models in the UK and Rajesh Nair, director, Miss India Uganda beauty contest.
However, the judges, who clearly indicated they were interested in a girl who stood the biggest chance to win for Uganda at this year’s MissWorld, said it was a very close call between Namiiro and Joan Atieno, 18, the first runner-up. Caroline Nantumbwe, 23, was the second runner-up.
This year, a Mr. Uganda, Brian Lukiya was crowned. He will represent Uganda at the Mr.World contest in South Korea, next year.
In the deciding questions that preceded the announcement of the winner, Namiiro was asked what she would change about mankind if she had a magic wand. “I would ensure that we (human beings) are able to speak to animals. It would be nice if we got to know what they (animals) think about us,†she replied confidently, earning herself a standing ovation.
“I will win the MissWorld title for Uganda,†she told an apparently unconvinced audience.
Joyce Church, the co-organiser expressed shock at Namiiro’s Victory.
“I expected someone else to win,†she said. “But I guess the judges had their own standards,†she said, echoing sentiments earlier expressed by Oyedade. Performance Production, the UKbased company that organised this year’s Miss Uganda-UK took over the Miss Uganda franchise this year.
Additional reporting by Sebidde Kiryowa