Miss Tourism pays tribute to King Oyo as Mucureezi takes crown

Miss Tourism Uganda grand finale took on a sombre tone as contestants and guests paid tribute to the late Omukama of Tooro, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, whose death has left a void in Uganda’s tourism and cultural circles.

The monarch died on August 27, in Dallas, Texas. For many in Uganda’s tourism industry, King Oyo was more than a cultural leader. He was also an ambassador for tourism, with his public activities often drawing attention to Tooro and Uganda’s heritage.

That connection was remembered during the beauty pageant when contestants paid homage to the late king. The sadness aside, Ankole’s 20-year-old Milfat Mucureezi emerged as this year’s Miss Tourism Uganda.

Mucureezi impressed the judges during the question-and-answer sessions, helping her secure the crown after competing against contestants drawn from Uganda’s different tourism clusters.

More than 36 young women and eight men took part in the event, representing Eastern, Ankole, Tooro, Buganda, Kigezi, West Nile, Teso, Northern Uganda, Rwenzori, Karamoja, Bunyoro and the newly introduced Metro cluster.

Mucureezi will receive a fully furnished house at Villa Vellar Estate in Bwebajja, Entebbe road, where she will live rent-free. The event brought together officials from Uganda’s tourism sector, including State Minister for Tourism Susan Nakawuki Nsambu, representatives from Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Museums and Monuments department.

Uganda Tourism Association president Yogi Birigwa was also in attendance, alongside entertainers including veteran actors Sam Bagenda and Andrew Benon Kibuuka. The evening also featured the second edition of Man of Tourism International Uganda, with Prosper Auther Makayi taking the crown.

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