#WCW: Miss Uganda Oliver Nakakande Not About To Give Up on Her Dreams.

In 2019, Uganda ― the Pearl of Africa welcomed onto her national scene a new, vibrant, beautiful lady who was yet to wave off the country’s flag within and outside national borders.

Standing out of 22 contestants at the grand finale, Oliver Nakakande was declared Miss Uganda Beauty Pageant winner and was crowned Miss Uganda 2019/20.

Walking the road to Miss Uganda

Nakakande’s interest in Beauty Contests dates back to her High School times when she first contested in the Mr & Miss S.4 contest in which she emerged winner.

She never threw up a sponge but continued to water her dream. She contested for Miss UMCAT and was crowned. Her interest in pageants grew and when she joined social media platforms, Beauty pages topped her search list.

She was interested in Beauty Organisations, Beauty Pageants and other related activities. As she searched, she came across the Miss Uganda page which she followed instantly.

Her curiosity encouraged her to pick registration forms but returning them escaped her mind since she wasn’t always confident. She spent four years in this nervousness.

“I could tell myself don’t go now! You will go next year. I could see them on social media then I tell myself to wait for next year even next year like that. So, this year when I saw the registration forms, I said I will not extend the period, I am going to pick up the forms, register and take up the auditions today and now,” Nakakande shared in 2019.

The waves of her initial nervousness followed her but from when she gathered confidence to pick the forms, a zealous heart she developed as time went on.

“When we turned up for auditions, there were over 100 beautiful girls. I got scared and asked myself whether I had a chance there. I again wished I waited for next year but then decided to do it this year,” ― Nakakande.

She turned up for auditions, still nervous like before but this time she could not face her nervousness with the same humble face. She had to be strong for the next strides were longer but rewarding.

Her showcases were a ticket that led her name to appear among the last 22 ladies. Though she was Number (No.22), she managed to subtract to No.1 and was crowned Miss Uganda 2019/20 on July 25, 2019.

Due to the COVID-19 presence, the Miss Uganda Pageant was not hosted in 2020 which made Nakakande to further her reign for at least another year till the former Miss Uganda 2019 first runner up, Elizabeth Bagaya was appointed new Miss Uganda 2020/21.

To the Miss World Contest

When she assumed the 2019 Miss Uganda title, Nakakande smelt her chances to participate in the Miss World contest. She became her own PR and pushed her name to the world.

Considering Abenakyo’s beauty and triumph, the public threw a lot of spite at her (Nakakande). Many doubted her capabilities on making wonders at World level.

While representing her motherland, Uganda at the Miss World Beauty Pageant on December 14, 2020, Nakakande never disappointed despite the backlash that came after her Miss Uganda title.

At the event hosted at the Excel Arena in London Nakakande emerged 4th runner up at the Miss World 2019 contest which was won by Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh becoming the 69th Miss World.

After a year when Quiin Abenakyo, Miss Uganda 2018/19 had won the Miss Africa crown at the Miss World Beauty Pageant, Nakakande was highly expected to fly the Uganda flag higher. She did her best.

She rendered much of her spare time during lunch breaks at the contest to solicit for support by guiding her fans and followers on how to vote plus, thanking them for the continued support.

Nakakande is the second Miss Uganda ever after Abenakyo to reach the head to head challenge. She made it to the top 40 of 111 contestants in the 2019 Miss World models putting Uganda in group 18, in which she won and went on to a head to head challenge with Miss Mexico.

Other countries in group 18 included Uganda, Vietnam, Montenegro, Cambodia and Mauritius. Her beauty with a purpose project was, “Increasing teenage literacy rates”. Nakakande won in this group.

She had earned herself a once in a lifetime interface with a celebrated British TV icon Piers Morgan at the Miss World event but this would have been possible only if Nakakande won the Miss World crown.

Nakakande was the first Ugandan Miss World representative to qualify for 3 Miss World categories at the same time; Top model, Sports queen, Head to head challenge and also featured on the top cover of the Miss World 69th Final London magazine.

“I still can’t believe that I am the cover  girl  for Miss World magazine 2019. Oh My God, this is amazing. I am on the front cover and the two miss world from previous years on the back cover. Mum, we made it,” Nakakande said.

It should be noted that before Nakakande, a few Miss Uganda queens had made it to the Miss World Competition including Barbara Kimbugwe (2004/05), Juliet Akankwatsa (2005/06), Sylvia Namutebi (2011/12) and Quiin Abenakyo (2018/19).

Latest Addition to Her Beauty Pageant Journey

“I feel so emotional & humbled right now to have made it to top 30 Miss Universe UAE,” Nakakande said as she revealed the news that she was part of the Top 30 Miss Universe UAE contestants.

Her history as a UAE resident during her ages of 18 and 28, Nakakande passed the auditions and will be competing for the crown on November 7.

The official winner of Miss Universe UAE will advance to the international stage, the 70th edition of the Miss Universe that will be held in Israel in December.

Family and Education

Nakakande, 26, is a Muganda lady born and raised in the outskirts of Kampala, in Kawempe Tula located in Wakiso district. She is the last of two brothers and three sisters.

At the age of 18, Nakakande lost her mother and stayed in the care of her father, David Vuuma and close relatives.

Nakakande attended Kawempe Church of Uganda Primary School, Helm Senior School and Faiha Senior Secondary School, Gayaza where she attained her Advanced Level of education certificate.

In her Senior Six vacation, she helped her uncle at a Photo Studio which helped her learn photographic skills, take pictures that would later finance her needs.

She later joined UMCAT School of Journalism for a course in Journalism but never went on to see its tail end after meeting a wall of differing challenges.

Her passion was to be a TV Star; liked talking and believed that people would like watching and listening to her but fate never allowed this to see life.

Nonetheless, Nakakande joined Middlesex University for a degree in Marketing which she pursued during her reign as Miss Uganda.