Zam Zam Godana Crowned Miss Tourism East Africa As Uganda’s Shakira Okoobah Claims Runner-Up Spot

What the report says

Zam Zam Godana has been crowned the inaugural Miss Tourism East Africa at a regional finale held Saturday night at the Kampala Marriott Hotel in Uganda’s capital, while Uganda’s Shakira Okoobah finished first runner-up. According to Watchdog Uganda, the event brought together contestants, tourism stakeholders, diplomats, business leaders and cultural figures in what organizers framed as a celebration of East African identity and tourism promotion.

The report says the competition was presented as more than a beauty pageant, with participants expected to serve as cultural ambassadors for their countries and help promote tourism, heritage and hospitality across the region. Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Ababu Namwamba, praised the contestants and described the Kampala finale as a memorable example of regional cooperation and cultural diplomacy.

Godana’s win gives her the role of promoting East Africa’s destinations and cultural heritage, while Okoobah’s finish gave the host country a visible result in the first edition of the pageant. Watchdog Uganda said the event also reflected Uganda’s broader tourism marketing efforts, including its natural attractions and urban experiences. More generally, pageants like this are often used in the region as soft-power platforms to support travel promotion and cross-border visibility, though the specific long-term impact will depend on how the titleholders carry out their roles.