As Miss Tourism East Africa grand finale approaches, Kadama carries Busoga’s culture, compassion and Uganda’s global tourism story
By Brian Mugenyi
Tourism, for Okoobah Shakirah Kadhanah, is not simply about beautiful destinations, photographs and a crown.
It is a responsibility to tell Uganda’s story, preserve its culture, promote peace and happiness, and use her platform to reach people whose stories are often left unheard.
A Bachelor’s degree holder in Business Administration from Makerere University, Kadhanah enters the Miss Tourism East Africa journey with an academic background that gives her a strong understanding of business, leadership and enterprise, but it is her passion for culture and charity that has increasingly defined the woman behind the contestant.
As the Miss Tourism East Africa grand finale approaches on September 12, 2026, Kadhanah is seeking to demonstrate that the modern tourism ambassador can be much more than a beauty queen.
She can be a cultural storyteller.
She can be a voice for vulnerable children.
She can be an advocate for peace.
And she can become a bridge between Uganda and the wider world.
A daughter of Busoga
Kadhanah hails from Busoga, one of Uganda’s culturally rich regions, whose heritage, traditions, personalities and historical contribution continue to form an important part of the country’s identity.
For her, coming from Busoga gives her a cultural foundation from which to introduce Uganda to the world.
Her passion for culture is not limited to celebrating traditions for entertainment. She views culture as an important tourism asset and a means through which communities can preserve their identity while creating opportunities for the younger generation.
In a tourism industry increasingly driven by experiences, storytelling and authentic encounters, Uganda’s cultures provide an enormous opportunity.
Kadhanah’s ambition is to be part of that story
From the classroom to the community
Her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Makerere University adds another dimension to her tourism ambitions.
Tourism is an industry.
Behind every attraction are businesses, hotels, tour operators, transport companies, restaurants, artisans, entertainers, farmers and communities whose livelihoods can benefit when visitors are attracted to Uganda.
Kadhanah’s academic background therefore gives her an appreciation of the economic side of tourism—the need to turn Uganda’s cultural and natural wealth into sustainable opportunities.
But her interests go beyond business.
She has developed a passion for charity and caring for deprived children, an area she considers an important part of her broader purpose.
For Kadama, development cannot be measured only by the number of tourists entering a country.
It must also be reflected in the lives of vulnerable people within communities.
Her charity interests therefore bring a human face to her tourism ambitions.
Connecting culture with compassion
This combination—business education, cultural passion and charity—makes Kadama’s journey different.
She wants to use visibility not simply for personal advancement, but to draw attention to causes that affect communities.
Her work with and concern for deprived children reflects a belief that the most vulnerable should not be forgotten while society celebrates its successes.
It is also a message to young Ugandans that leadership can begin with simple acts of compassion.
A growing network
Kadhanah has also interacted and connected with Rebecca Kadaga, a prominent Ugandan political and public figure from the Busoga region.
Such interactions have given Kadhanah an opportunity to engage with a figure whose public life has been closely associated with leadership and the representation of Busoga on the national stage.
For Kadhanah, the broader lesson is the importance of building relationships across culture, leadership, business and community development.
Her journey demonstrates how young people can draw inspiration from established leaders while developing their own independent voices.
More than a crown
The September 12 grand finale will provide the defining moment of the Miss Tourism East Africa competition.
But whatever happens on the night, Kadama’s story has already moved beyond the contest.
Her mission is anchored in four words: culture, peace, happiness and compassion.
She wants to see Uganda exposed to the world through its people and traditions.
She wants visitors to experience the warmth of Ugandan communities.
She wants culture to become an economic opportunity rather than merely something remembered during ceremonies.
And she wants vulnerable children to receive the attention and care they deserve.
For a young woman from Busoga with a business administration degree from Makerere University, the tourism crown is therefore only one possible chapter.
The bigger ambition is to use the platform to build a lasting legacy.
A legacy in which Uganda’s culture is celebrated, its people are connected, its vulnerable are remembered and its story is heard beyond its borders.
As September 12 draws closer, Okooba Shakira Kadama is not merely preparing for a competition.
She is preparing to tell a story.
The story of Uganda.
The story of Busoga.
And the story of a young woman who believes that culture, compassion, peace and happiness can become powerful tools for taking Uganda to the world.
Writes Brian Mugenyi