Elma Kapel Challa, who first became well known in Uganda when she was crowned Miss Tourism Uganda in 2017, has won a big new role in politics.
UPDATE: Elma Kapel Challa (NRM) has been declared the winner of the Youth MP Northern Region seat (2026-2031).
— NBS Television (@nbstv) January 29, 2026
#NBSUpdates #UgVotes2026 pic.twitter.com/EIEJosRGrh
As a young beauty queen representing Karamoja, Elma used her title to promote Uganda’s culture and tourism. She told reporters at the time that she wanted to make her people proud and show Uganda’s beauty to the world.
Nearly a decade later, she moved into politics. Elma ran for Youth Member of Parliament (Youth MP) for Northern Uganda on the ticket of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). In the election, she faced two other candidates but won clearly with 1,245 votes. Her closest rival, from the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), got 343 votes, and the third candidate from the Democratic Party got just eight.
As a JIE daughter from KOTIDO it was a great honor to host the @NRMOnline chairperson and our sole presidential candidate H.E @KagutaMuseveni and the mother of the nation @JanetMuseveni pic.twitter.com/fWmH3fXbb3
— Elma Kapel Challa (@ElmaKapelChalla) October 27, 2025
With this victory, Elma Kapel Challa replaces Boniface Okot as the Youth MP. Her success is being celebrated by supporters in the region, and it marks a major step from her early days as a tourism ambassador to now serving young people in Parliament.
