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Uganda: Bigger Expectations for Miss Uganda
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The Weekly Observer (Kampala)
10 April 2008
Posted to the web 10 April 2008
Shifa Mwesigye
Kampala
In the calm of mountainous Fort portal town, a cool breeze from the overlooking Rwenzori Ranges engulfs Mountains of the Moon hotel. In the safety of the hotel's conference room sits Solaya Zalwago with eight girls. They are here to try their luck at the Miss Uganda 2007 contest. The western region contestants are nothing short of naïve and scared.
And it gets bigger as another contestant Fiesta Atuhaire joins the queue. With the perfect height and frame for a model, Atuhaire however has no idea about pageants and how to wear make up for that matter. The only possession she has is her determination to win the western leg.
Not only has Zalwango two hours to turn these girls into Miss Uganda material, she also has to give them self esteem and confidence lessons.
Miss Uganda's Program coordinator Jessica Kyeyune tries to get the girls talking, but gets low-tone answers from the timid contestants. That was 2007, Miss Uganda pageant organisers are promising a better 2008 leg of Miss Uganda. Miss Uganda's Operations Director Rashid Nsubuga says this search will comb through Uganda's Kabulasokes and Kololos looking for that girl with a vicious character, glamour, charity, aspiration and drive to do something for Uganda and hold a name.
That means going down to the grass roots for weeks to do serious scouting instead of waiting for contestants to show up with no idea of what they are getting into. Unlike last year when the franchise holders MKM Promotions kicked off with no sponsors only to be joined by Uganda Telecom on their second leg in the west, this year they secured sponsorship from Uganda Telecom, Air Uganda and Nile Breweries weeks before the search was even launched.
UTL this year has increased its sponsorship by Shs 100 million to Shs 250 million, Air Uganda has sunk in Shs 100 million and Nile Breweries Shs 150 million. That means more money than last year's Shs 300 million.
The sponsors decided to take it a step ahead; kick off the Miss Uganda search in the air, a thing that has not happened before in the history of Miss Uganda. Aboard Air Uganda's U0702 flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the search for a Miss Uganda to succeed Monica Kansiime Kasyate was on.
Miss Uganda 2007 Monica Kasyate together with first runner up Helen Karungi joined passengers.
Karungi looked every bit the beauty on the flight stealing the limelight from Kasyate while Zalwango made sure they got the star treatment they deserved.
"If a former contestant wants to try out their luck again, they are free to do so but we are not promising any favours. They have to prove their worth against other new girls," Zalwago said in an interview aboard Air Uganda.
This time she has hired a professional makeup artist Brenda from Austria, a hair dresser from France and another team to help with the catwalk coaching. The same team will help Zalwango in the scouting while she works on poise confidence and character.
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The 21 finalists will also go through training at Speke Resort Munyonyo before finals on August 2. Air Uganda will fly in a grooming expert who trains air hostesses to teach the girls the catwalk, poise and being graceful.
The Miss Uganda search kicks off this Saturday in Fort Portal at Andrews Gardens. Scouts are looking for a single attractive girl between 17-24 years who is 5.7 feet tall. She should possess more than just physical beauty but have natural grace and poise, intelligence, confidence and be articulate.
And while past contestants have taken away prize cars, Kasyate and the 2008's eventual winner will get a scholarship package worth $3000, a laptop and Gold healthcare cover from AAR which are handed over at the end of their reign.
Rachel Quinn University of Oregon rquinn@uoregon.edu
The Weekly Observer (Kampala) 10 April 2008 Posted to the web 10 April 2008
Uganda: Bigger Expectations for Miss Uganda
It is interesting for me an American, who is involved in many cultural activities of West Africa to read about the upbringing of Miss Uganda. It brings me to a realization of how far Western ways have traveled the globe. To me the glamour of beauty pageants is a thing of the west, but to see beautiful girls of other countries such... [Read Full Text]
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