The race to the Miss Tourism East Africa 2026 crown is heating up, and Uganda’s own Okoobah Shakirah Kadhanah is proving she has what it takes to bring it home.
The grand finale is set for 12th September 2026 at Marriott Hotel, Kampala, where the best from across the region will converge to celebrate beauty, culture, tourism and empowerment. Among them, Shakirah stands out – confident, eloquent, and powered by purpose.
Hailing from Northern Division, Iganga Municipality and proudly of the Baise Ngobi clan, Shakirah carries the heritage of Busoga with grace and pride.
She is a tourism professional, beauty queen, brand ambassador and entrepreneur with a Bachelor’s Degree in Travel and Tourism Management from Makerere University Business School (MUBS). Her professional background spans tourism, marketing, sales, brand representation and events.
She is also the 1st Runner-Up Miss Tourism Busoga and Miss Tourism Kigulu 2022/23, experiences that have shaped her into a strong advocate for tourism, hospitality, women empowerment and community development.
About Miss Tourism East Africa.
Miss Tourism East Africa is not just a beauty pageant – it is a premier regional platform that celebrates East Africa’s diverse culture, wildlife, heritage and hospitality, while empowering young women to become tourism ambassadors and change-makers in their communities.
This year’s edition brings together exceptional queens from across East Africa to promote intra-regional tourism, unity and sustainable development under one crown.
For Shakirah, this pageant is more than a competition. It is a calling to inspire young women, showcase Uganda’s unparalleled beauty to the world, and turn her platform into real impact.
Exclusive With The Exposure Uganda (TEU): “I Am A Proud Musoga, A Proud Daughter Of Uganda, East Africa”
In an exclusive interview with The Exposure Uganda (TEU), a revolutionary digital news platform, Shakirah spoke about what drives her – love for culture, loyalty to the throne, and belief in East African unity.
Speaking to TEU, she declared:
“I am a proud Musoga, a proud daughter of Busoga. My identity is my strength. I was raised to respect and love our culture, our norms, our values and our ObwaKyabazinga Bwa Busoga under the visionary leadership of His Royal Highness William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope Gabula IV, the Kyabazinga of Busoga. I owe my confidence and humility to Busoga. I will forever be loyal to the Kingdom and to His Majesty.”
Whenever she stands on any stage, whether in Kampala or anywhere in East Africa, the Miss East Africa hopeful queen says she carries Busoga with her.
But Shakirah is quick to add that love for culture does not make her narrow-minded.
“Culture should unite, not divide. I am not narrow-minded. I believe in integration. I believe in the East African Community. We are one people with one destiny. Busoga’s heritage is richer when it is shared with Buganda, with Acholi, with Karamoja, with Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, DRC and Somalia. That is the spirit and philosophy of Obuntu”
She pays special tribute to Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs and Kamuli District Woman MP, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, for her relentless pursuit of the EAC agenda:
“I am inspired by our mother, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga. She has consistently pursued and promoted the EAC integration agenda with passion and courage. She has shown us that when Busoga leads, Uganda benefits, and when Uganda leads, East Africa shines. She is a role model to every young woman in Busoga.”
And then, with a smile that lit up the TEU newsroom, Shakirah did what few pageant queens can do – she sang the East African Community Anthem in Kiswahili, fluently, easily and beautifully.
“Jumuiya Yetu sote… tuilinde… tuijenge…” she sang, before adding: “Kiswahili is our unifying language. If you want to sell tourism, you must speak the language of East Africa. I am ready to be that ambassador.”
The Shakira Wave: The Catchword Is Shakira – A Household Name.
From the interview, TEU can confirm – the Shakira wave is real and has become a household name.
On every radio and TV station across Busoga and Uganda, on all social media platforms – Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp – in bustling markets, in taxis and boda-boda stages, in places of worship, churches and mosques, the catchword is one: SHAKIRA.
From community loudspeakers known as kizindaalos in the villages to town criers in the municipalities, the message is loud: Vote Shakira!
Every church teacher, pastor, reverend, Rev. Fr. to Bishops, every Imam and Sheikh to Khadis, every elder in the 11 Chiefdoms of Busoga, every cultural leader, youth leader and women leader is rallying behind her.
All professional journalists and broadcasters – news anchors, presenters, bloggers and vloggers – are talking about Shakira, whom they describe as a young, dynamic lady of substance. She has become a household name, not because of hype, but because of hope.
How The World Uses Queens To Advance Nations.
Globally, nations and communities have long harnessed the power of beauty queens to drive national and global agendas.
In the Philippines, beauty queens are national ambassadors for disaster resilience and education. In Rwanda and Kenya, Miss Tourism queens champion gorilla conservation, wildlife protection and eco-tourism.
In Botswana, they market the Okavango Delta to the world. In South Africa, queens lead campaigns against gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS. In Colombia, Brazil and India, they advocate for girl-child education, climate action and cultural preservation.
Queens have become soft-power ambassadors – eloquent, credible, trusted by communities, and able to attract tourists, investors and development partners while addressing issues that affect ordinary people.
It is hoped that Shakira will be that voice for Busoga, for Uganda and for East Africa.
A voice to market the Source of the Nile,Itanda Falls, Kagulu Rock, Bishop Hannington Memorial Site, our crafts, our foods, our music and our people.
A voice to fight for the girl-child – to end early marriages, teenage pregnancies and school dropouts, and to promote menstrual hygiene and self-belief.
A voice to champion community tourism, to link farmers, fishermen and artisans to the tourism value chain, and to create jobs for youth in hospitality.
A voice to unite the 11 Chiefdoms of Busoga under one pride and tell Uganda’s tourism story to the world with authenticity and passion.
Let’s Crown Our Own – Vote for Shakira Now.
She has the beauty. She has the brains. She has the passion. She has the people. Now she needs your vote.
As she told The Exposure Uganda (TEU):
“Vote for culture. Vote for tourism. Vote for integration. Vote for the daughter of the Kyabazinga. Vote for Shakira. For Busoga, For Uganda, For East Africa.”
Vote for Okoobah Shakirah Kadhanah here:
africavotes.com
Every vote counts. Let’s rally behind our daughter of Iganga, the pride of Busoga, and the hope of Uganda – Okoobah Shakirah Kadhanah – on her journey to becoming Miss Tourism East Africa 2026!
Grand Finale: 12th September 2026 – Marriott Hotel, Kampala.
For Busoga. For Uganda. For East Africa. The time is Shakira.
Reported by The Exposure Uganda (TEU) – The Revolutionary Digital News Platform. We Expose, You Decide.
