For the first time in 75 years, Uganda has stepped onto the global Miss Universe stage, marking a new chapter for the country’s fashion, creative, tourism and women empowerment sectors.
The launch at Mestil Hotel & Residences on Thursday was more than a pageant announcement. Organisers called it the start of a national movement.
Led by National Director Joram Muzira, Miss Universe Uganda 2026 is designed to shift pageantry beyond looks to leadership, advocacy, intelligence, confidence, culture and social impact. “Today is not just a press conference. Today is history,” Muzira declared.
Uganda has never officially participated in Miss Universe before. For decades the platform has been one of the world’s most recognised stages for women’s empowerment and global influence, giving contestants a platform to champion causes and shape conversations beyond fashion and glamour.
Standing before media, sponsors and partners, Muzira said the launch was personal. After years working in New York, Paris, Milan and London and helping develop internationally successful Ugandan models, one question stayed with him: “How do we create the same opportunities for young women back home in Uganda?” His answer became Miss Universe Uganda. “This is about representation. This is about women empowerment. This is about advocacy,” he said. “We are building more than a pageant. We are building a movement.”
Under that vision, the platform will celebrate women for how they lead, speak, inspire and transform communities, not just how they look. The inaugural theme is “Beyond The Crown” — a message organisers say reframes the crown as a responsibility, not an endpoint. “Beyond The Crown means leadership. It means impact. It means creating opportunities for other women and using beauty as a tool for change.”
Organisers are looking for women passionate about mental health, education, climate action, healthcare, women’s rights, entrepreneurship, child protection and community transformation — those able to represent Uganda confidently on the global stage.
Applications opened immediately after the launch and run from 14 May to 4 June via the official Miss Universe Uganda website. Contestants apply online and submit videos explaining why they should become Uganda’s first Miss Universe representative.
Selected applicants will audition at MOTIV on 7 June, assessed on confidence, intelligence, leadership, communication, advocacy and personality. Thirty delegates will then enter non-residential and residential bootcamps through June and July covering mentorship, public speaking, runway coaching, media training, branding, wellness, entrepreneurship, advocacy and confidence-building.
Delegates will also take part in challenge-based experiences, including the Beyond The Crown Challenge where they present advocacy and social impact projects, alongside sports and wellness activities promoting discipline and mental health. Empowerment workshops, tourism activities, charity visits, university tours, cultural showcases, mentorship programmes and media engagements are planned to prepare contestants for international-level leadership.
One of the standout moments will be the sashing ceremony, where the top 30 delegates receive their sashes in a celebration of elegance, sisterhood, national pride and cultural diversity.
The journey culminates on 1 August 2026 with the Grand Finale, where Uganda will crown its first Miss Universe Uganda queen ahead of the 75th Miss Universe competition later this year. The winner will undergo elite international preparation in runway coaching, media training, image development, public speaking, wellness and advocacy refinement before representing Uganda in November.
“When she stands before the world, we want the world to see more than beauty,” Muzira said. “We want the world to see intelligence. Purpose. Leadership. Compassion.”
With that, Uganda announced itself to the Miss Universe world