Cry My Beloved Country: How Patriotic Brenda Nanyonjo is Staking Her All to Keep the Miss Uganda Brand Afloat as Government Shamelessly Gaze On

Behind the glitz and glamor that encompasses the Brand Miss Uganda is the franchise Brenda Nanyonjo, who has continuously staked her own resources and livelihood to stage an event that is a master sales gem during its eventual winner’s appearance at the Miss World Pageant, The Investigator writes.

Brenda has done this since 2011, when she took over the franchise minus the initiative of the Uganda Government support. Government should have joined through its Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) or the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development and Welfare, which is directly charged with the purpose of promoting the docket.

Whereas it would be prudent that the technocrats of these two above would be proud to be associated with the Miss Uganda brand, it is sad that they have continued to shun and ignore the event. Their mindset is solely fixated at the Miss Tourism project, which was a brain child of the late Minister Maria Lubega Mutagambwa, who decreed that it be funded by her Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities then, with an office at its premises.

At the time, the Minister zeroed in on Richard Ssebadduka aka Richard Flava who acted as the national coordinator of Miss Tourism. It should be noted that though Miss Tourism is a regional event in Uganda, with its climax being in Kampala, it falls short of giving Uganda positive marketing millage internationally, compared to Miss Uganda at the Miss World contest. The latter attracts a mammoth 90 contestants with each representing a country and is viewed the world over.

The new Miss Uganda Hannah Karema Tumukunde is on the list of the Miss World 2023 contest. It will be the 71^st edition of the pageant, and is to be held in the United Arab Emirates in 2023, making it the first edition to stage the finals in the Middle East. Karolina Bielawska, of Poland will crown her successor at the end of the event. It is at such an international event that Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social welfare would come in handy to facilitate Miss Uganda and her handlers to attend the event minus any hiccups.

Sad is the tale of how the franchise owner labors to send a team from Uganda to such an event! Yet government wouldn’t flinch at paying Cable News Network (CNN) a mind-boggling cool a $1 million (about Shs1.78b) for six-month deal to promote the country as a top tourist destination under the tagline, “Uganda: A Gift of Nature” like it did prior in 2005.

Prior to this year’s event that was held at the UMA all-purpose hall Lugogo in Kampala, Kezzi Entertainment, Brenda’s mother company had to literally go knocking on doors of corporate companies for sponsorship. During this time, she miraculously chanced on Star Times Uganda who took on the mantle under its Makula TV brand, a local channel to do only production, as Nile Breweries Ltd also paid a hand.

However, shockingly still, Brenda had to personally befriend car dealers to at least have a tangible prize for the eventual winner, though she is yet to fully pay for the same deep from her purse. Such is the sad reality of the Miss Uganda franchise notwithstanding the inhumane hustle she underwent to find a place to hold the boot camp. The Miss Uganda franchise is a marketing gem for Uganda that has been mismanaged for a long time, by past holders like Linda Bazaalaki Sylvia Owori, and Rose Mary Church among others.

What should be an event that Uganda should be proud of has been left to a single individual yet in all honest common sense, government, through UTB and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and social Development would be lending a hand for the good of the country. Cry louder… my beloved Uganda.

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Jako David Waluluka: Mr. Jacko David Waluluka is another unique entertainment and general investigative news writer, a field he has diligently covered for over fifteen years. He’s also the Chief Administrator at The Investigator. He can easily be reached via [email protected]