Just when we thought the hype the Miss Inter-Universities beauty pageant had been given would do some miracles, there came yet another mix that made it arguably the flop of the year.

The catwalk show that was scheduled for Saturday 17 didn't take place. Much as the beauties from different universities had the excitement of a would-be queen and were just waiting for the lights leading them to the crown, the organisers were busy scratching their heads, wondering how limp the event was turning out.

Wasted Effort: Contestants of the Miss inter-universities pageant smile for the camera. They included students from Makerere, Nkumba, Kyambogo, Uganda Christian Universities and Makerere University Business School. Photo Joseph Kigunddu

Things didn't start well for them right from the morning of the show. In what seemed to be a consolation pill to raise contestants' hopes, the xxx beauties were ferried to a saloon in town for an extreme makeover of their hair. That's when we started seeing the signs of a flopping event.

First, seven of the contestants were denied exit from International Hotel-Muyenga, courtesy of pending accommodation fees for the last two weeks the girls had spent at the hotel while rehearsing for the event.

The hotel management couldn't accept the cheque that the organisers gave. They wanted cash.
Somewhere in the mix, they were finally allowed to go for their hairdos. Time check, 9 p.m. the girls are still in the salon. Meanwhile partygoers were already at Lugogo cricket grounds impatiently waiting for the show to kick-off while they braved the cold since it had rained.

In isolated small clusters, people became desperate. The evening did not seem promising. The only sign of life was the music from the lonely stage with nothing changing for the better.
10:30p.m, the crowd was already disappointed and frowning.

It is then that they started asking for a refund of the Shs10,000.00 they had paid for the do. Drama ensued when revellers wanted to skin one of the organisers, Mr John Musinguzi. He had to run for his life, otherwise the angry little crowd would have claimed it.
The venue's management had refused the ceremony to proceed without full payment of the rent dues.

The organisers responded by giving in the earlier-rejected cheque, which was rejected again. It was an evening of ruckus up to The beauties arrived at 1 p.m. and were guarded in a hideout, lest the fans lynch them thinking they were part of the mess.

And when nothing seemed to workout, they were taken back to the hotel to 'console each other', as Grace one of their trainers put it.

They all looked frustrated, tired and disillusioned. In fact they were the last to leave the scene, as transport had also become another impediment. Grace had to improvise for the girls, as the central characters had disappeared in the commotion.

That is how all the high hopes of the beauties were dashed.
The organisers are talking of re-organising the pageant after raising some funds. Lets wait and see.

- MONITOR, Sept. 21, 2005 -
BY: DAMALIE NANYONJO & NIGEL M. NASSAR


Link: Miss InterUniversity Contest is On.