Dark cloud engulfs Miss Tourism event
The New Miss Tourism Ankole Sheila Kirabo (4th L) joined by other pageants, 1st runners up Jaylor Birungi, 22
(3rd L), 2nd runners up Samatha Nayesiga, 20 (2nd L),Jackeline Arinda, the outgoing Miss Tourism Ankole (C), during the Miss Tourism Ankole search on Saturday. PHOTO BY COLLEB MUGUME
What you need to know:
Sad. Participants received the news of the accident during the event but had to go ahead.
MBARARA. A cloud of grief hung over Miss Tourism Ankole 2015/16 beauty pageant search on Saturday evening as news of the death of Miss Tourism (Northern Uganda) Norah Atim, and Barbara Nakiwolo, one of last year’s Miss Tourism finalists, and NTV journalist Resty Namawejje, trickled in after 6pm.
Guests spoke in murmurs and some could not hold back their tears.
The three girls died in a road accident in Mpigi on Kampala-Mbarara highway as they were travelling to grace the event at Lake View Resort Hotel in Mbarara.
“We have got a problem, I will not talk about it now because it is very sad,” Ms Stella Rugunda, the head of Miss Tourism Ankole cluster, said during the event.
At around 12am, Grace Aulo Mbabazi, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Tourism, who represented Minister Maria Mutagamba, asked the gathering to stand up and observe a moment of silence in honour of the deceased.
The search went on as planned. More than 100 people turned up for the event. Nine girls participated in the contest.
Sheila Kirabo, 23, a sales and marketing executive at Ex-Caliber under Mukwano Group of Companies, was crowned Miss Tourism Ankole 2015/16. She replaces Jackline Arinda. Jaylor Birungi, 22, a student at Makerere University, was first runner up while Samantha Nayesiga, 20, a senior six leaver, emerged third.
Ms Mbabazi asked the beauty queens to create awareness about tourist attractions in their region and the entire country.
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