Nineteen-year-old Almorie Nagayi Sophia from Masaka is the new Miss Uganda. She was crowned in the early hours of Sunday, 11 October 2026, at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, at a grand finale that doubled as a celebration of 15 years of the Miss Uganda Foundation under the stewardship of Brenda Nanyonjo.
The grand finale brought together 22 finalists who had made it through a nationwide search. Five regional queens earned automatic places in the final during the regional tour, and 17 other contestants joined them after the Presentation Night at the same hotel on 18 September. The contestant with the highest public vote secured an automatic place in the top five.
By the end of the night, it was Nagayi, representing Masaka City and Central region, who took the crown. She succeeds reigning queen Elle Trivia Muhoza, who won the 2025/26 title.
The finale also marked a milestone for organisers: 15 years of the Miss Uganda Foundation’s work with young women, led by Brenda Nanyonjo.
Almorie Nagayi Sophia is 19 years old and comes from Masaka. She names her mother as her role model, and her hobbies include swimming, modelling, travelling, and an interest in diplomacy and international relations.
She is no newcomer to the stage. Nagayi won the Miss Uganda High School title in 2024, when she was a 17-year-old S.4 student at Aga Khan Educational Centre, and later represented Uganda at Miss Teen International in India.
Her campaign was built on a project called “Beauty With a Purpose”, which promotes financial literacy and vocational skilling among women and girls. It focuses on money management, small business development and financial independence for young women. Nagayi has said her mother inspired her to create opportunities for a brighter future for others.
Beyond pageantry, she has spoken of wider ambitions in foreign policy and world affairs, suggesting the runway may be a starting point rather than a final destination.
The runners-up
- First runner-up: Nakato Bridget Prudence, Northern Uganda
- Second runner-up: Balunywa Lukia, Eastern Uganda
Fifteen years under Brenda Nanyonjo
Brenda Nanyonjo has led Miss Uganda since 2011, and 2026 marks 15 years of her stewardship. The Miss Uganda Foundation itself was registered in July 2013. She is the longest-serving Miss World license holder in Uganda and is credited with rebuilding the pageant after a period of controversy that made many sponsors hesitant.
Under her leadership, the platform has produced a Miss World Africa title, two Beauty With a Purpose wins at Miss World, and a generation of queens trained in leadership, media and enterprise as well as stagecraft. This year, a Ugandan queen was among Africa’s six Beauty With a Purpose finalists at Miss World 2026 in Vietnam, placing in the top 24 worldwide in one category.
A legacy that began in 1967
The celebration forms part of a much longer national story. The first Miss Uganda was crowned on 5 November 1967: Rosemary Salmon, who was 19, became the first and youngest woman to hold the title. She travelled to London to represent Uganda at Miss World, the first of a long line of Ugandan queens to compete on the global stage. The following year, in 1968, Joy Lehai Kanyarutokye was crowned, becoming the first Miss Uganda with two Ugandan parents.
Over the decades, winners have gone on to careers in aviation, finance, business and philanthropy, and have championed causes from children’s welfare to women’s rights.
In recent years, Quiin Abenakyo (Miss Uganda 2018) became the first Ugandan to reach the top 30 at Miss World and was crowned Miss World Africa 2018. Hannah Karema (2023) was later named first runner-up for Miss World Africa, and Natasha Nyonyozi (2024/25) used her platform to advocate for children with autism. Elle Trivia Muhoza, a 22-year-old from Bukomansimbi, wore the crown in 2025/26.
What comes next
As Miss Uganda 2026, Nagayi will take on the responsibility of representing Uganda internationally. According to Miss World, the winner is expected to represent Uganda at Miss World 2027, to be held in Tanzania in September next year.
For Brenda Nanyonjo and the Foundation, the long-held dream remains Uganda’s first Miss World crown. With a 19-year-old title holder who already combines pageant experience, a clear advocacy project and global ambitions, the new queen steps into the role with that goal in sight.
