How Aminah Nalubega (Errands Runner) & Jamirah Nalubega Found Their Power As Hijabis

'Modest chic'

For decades, the Miss Uganda pageant has been a theater of evolving beauty standards, but the 2025 edition marked a historic departure from tradition. For the first time in the competition’s history, two hijabi contestants, Aminah Nalubega and Jamirah Namubiru, did not only participate but excelled as finalists, navigating every challenge; including the traditionally skin-baring swimwear round without compromising their religious attire.

Clad in burkinis and modest outfits, they journeyed through the competition gracefully, a fit that culminated in significant victories: Jamirah Namubiru was crowned Miss Uganda Central, while Aminah Nalubega scooped the Miss Popularity and Miss Uganda Rising Woman titles.

At 22, Jamirah Namubiru entered the pageant with a singular mission: to prove that faith and ambition are not mutually exclusive. Her participation, however, was initially met with hesitation from her devout parents.

“Their worries were valid,” Namubiru reflects. “They couldn’t see the possibility of dressing modestly during a beauty pageant. But I promised them that I would make it happen.”

Having secured her parents’ blessing, the once-reserved young woman transformed through the rigors of the competition. Now a student at the Uganda Aviation Academy pursuing a career as a Cabin Crew member, Namubiru views her modesty as a “suit of armor” that grants her the security to own her power. For her, the burkini challenge was a highlight, and a statement that elegance is not a derivative of exposure.

Aminah Nalubega’s story is one of grit and digital savvy. Known on Tiktok as “Errands Runner,” her journey began in Iganga, where she worked as a waitress, then a receptionist and accountant, before moving to Kampala to seek a larger stage. What began as a literal service, running errands for clients, evolved into a digital powerhouse brand. Nalubega seized the opportunity to participate in the Miss Uganda pageant not for the vanity of the crown, but to network and expand her business.

“The competition was a big learning curve for me,” she says. Today, she balances the weight of her titles she won during the competition, using her platform to mentor young women who flood her inbox with requests for guidance and inspiration.

The presence of Namubiru and Nalubega in a pageant like Miss Uganda reflects a monumental shift in our cultural zeitgeist. What was once “niche” has since exploded into the mainstream. In Kampala alone, you can’t scroll through social media and not stumble upon a number of ‘Modest style and lifestyle’ content creators and influencers.

Globally, the cultural needle began to move with pioneers like Halima Aden, who made history as the first hijabi contestant in Miss USA and later graced the covers of Vogue. Similarly, brands like Nike (with the Pro Hijab) and high-fashion houses like Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry have launched modest lines to cater the growing appetite for ‘modest fashion’.

This movement has moved beyond clothes to “firsts” in representation. From Mariah Idrissi becoming the first hijabi model in a major H&M campaign to the rise of “hijabistas” on TikTok, the narrative has shifted from seeing the modest style as a symbol of restriction to one of choice, power, and high-style.

As Muslims observe the 30-day fasting period during the month of Ramadan, both Nalubega and Namubiru are pivoting to the quietude that comes with the month. For Namubiru, the month is centered on Sadaqah (charity) and bonding with her family over traditional feasts. Nalubega echoes this sentiment, viewing the month as a period of “spiritual realignment.”

Both women are using this time to speak directly to Muslim parents and girls, urging them to break the “gate-keeping” culture that often keeps young Muslim women confined in the background.

“No one is going to pick you from the shadows,” Nalubega asserts. “You have to put yourself out there, that’s the only way opportunities will come your way.”