Twenty-one delegates from seven countries brought a regional celebration of culture and tourism to the Kampala Marriott Hotel, as Uganda hosted the inaugural edition of a pageant set to rotate across East Africa.
Kenya’s Zamzam Godana Golicha was crowned the first-ever Miss Tourism East Africa at the pageant’s inaugural grand finale, held on 12th September at Kampala Marriott Hotel as part of the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities’ build-up to World Tourism Day. Uganda’s own representative, Shakirah Okoobah, finished first runner-up, with South Sudan’s Lilly Akule placing second runner-up and Kenya’s Cynthia Njeri Wanyoike rounding out the top four.
Twenty-one contestants, three representing each participating country, travelled from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Zanzibar for the regional competition, which paired pageantry with a deliberate showcase of East Africa’s shared cultural and tourism identity.
Before the finale, delegates took part in cultural and heritage activities across Uganda, including a visit to the newly restored Kasubi Tombs, where they were introduced to the site’s history, traditions and cultural institutions.
Godana arrived in Kampala with pageant pedigree already behind her, having been crowned Miss Tourism Kenya in 2025 before going on to be named a tourism ambassador, alongside Gabon’s Jenna Decastel, at the Miss Tourism Africa International finals in Jos, Nigeria. Organisers opted to award the new queen a Shs40 million cash prize rather than the vehicle traditionally offered to pageant winners, saying it would give her greater flexibility in how she uses the award during her reign.
Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Ababu Namwamba, served as chief guest for the evening, commending contestants for the way they told their countries’ cultural and tourism stories and thanking organisers for a well-run inaugural edition.
The pageant was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Uganda Tourism Board and Kampala Marriott Hotel, with organisers indicating that future editions will rotate host duties among participating East African countries.
For the Ministry, hosting the first regional edition in Kampala reinforced a message it has pushed throughout this year’s World Tourism Day build-up: that Uganda’s tourism story is strongest when told alongside, rather than in competition with, its East African neighbours.