- Natasha Nyonyozi, 23, was crowned the 2024 Miss Uganda
- Controversy arose as KFM presenter Fiaza Salima declared another contestant deserved the crown
- Ms Umeimah Sureya from Busoga Sub Region was considered a strong contender and ended up as the first runner-up
The Miss Uganda pageant climaxed over the weekend with 23-year-old Natasha Nyonyozi crowned the 2024 queen.
Natasha Nyonyozi poses with the outgoing Miss Uganda Hannah Karema
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The pageant's grand finale held at the Kampala Sheraton last Saturday generated a lot of excitement as it crowned the first Miss Uganda from the southwestern part of the country.
Natasha Nyonyozi
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But like previous ones before it, this year's Miss Uganda pageant has not been without its share of criticism and queries.
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A missed chance
KFM presenter Faiza Salima kicked off the controversy, declaring last night that another contestant deserved the crown.
Her favoured contender, she said, was Ms Umeimah Sureya from Busoga Sub Region.
Faiza Salima
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“I have always been a huge fan of Miss Uganda…first of all congratulations to the winner Natasha Nyonyozi,“ she said
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“But it truly thought and hoped that Sureya would win. If feel like Miss Uganda lost the opportunity to crown a phenomenal woman.“
Ms Umeimah Sureya
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Sureya, a cadet pilot who hails from Jinja was the first runner-up at the Saturday finale.
She was praised for her elegance, confidence and excellent presentations during the competition
“Honestly, I feel like Sureya Umeimah was better suited even in Q and A, the elegance, the confidence. She outstood all the others but here we are this is Uganda,“ wrote another social media user Sonia Brenda.
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Several other commenters online also voiced similar sentiments with some accusing the pageant of encouraging the money influence in the competition.
Similar allegations have shrouded the Miss Uganda competition for years now.
The outgoing Miss Uganda Hannah Karema was at the centre of controversy with some Ugandans questioning her heritage.
She nonetheless excelled at the Miss World pageant in March, emerging in the top eight queens and leading the African continent along with Miss Botswana, Lesego Chombo.
