Miss Uganda - an 'inner' beauty contest?

Christine Otieno, BBC Africa Live, Kampala

Miss Uganda 2004 Barbara Kimbugwe - the prettiest girl did win in the end

"I am fat. I need to lose weight, especially on my hips," says 19-year-old Jackee Jukko.

I looked at her in amazement. If a strong wind had blown at that moment it would surely have lifted Jackee off her feet. The girl is thin.

Does she really think she is fat, I asked.

After a nervous laugh Jackee said: "No, I think I am thin but the organisers of the contest have told me I am fat and need to lose weight".

"In fact my Dad was shocked when I told him and my brothers laughed. They call me mosquito at home because I am so thin."

This was the first day of training for the 2004 Miss Uganda beauty pageant.

Twenty-two young women had just entered a training camp where they would learn how to walk, talk and act as future beauty queens.

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The ultimate goal for these bright-eyed beauties was the exalted status of becoming Miss Uganda and representing the country at the Miss World beauty contest in China later this year.

The girls were welcomed by Miss Uganda 1990, Jessica Kyeyune, who is the coordinator. They were told that the main aim of the beauty camp they were about to enter was to turn them into better people.

The emphasis, according to Jessica, was on inner beauty, character building and pride in oneself. The looks, she claimed, were secondary.

The organisers of Miss Uganda have been quick to reject criticism of such beauty pageants, saying they emphasise a strong moral ethic.

They said their pageant celebrates, rather than demeans women, and above all, is not too concerned with looks.

Beauty lessons

For 24 days, the 22 young girls were put through gruelling schedules. The typical day started at 0500 with a jog, followed by a host of lectures.

The contestants endured a gruelling schedule

They were taught how to pronounce and enunciate words. They were taught how to dance, how to walk on the catwalk and how to stand straight.

They were also taught how to sit, perched sideways on the edge of their seat like models. Half the time they looked like they would topple off their seats at any moment.

They were also taught qualities about themselves to enhance, such as strengths in their characters.

"Before I came here I was loud and brash and just a fun girl," says 19-year- old Allen Namugga. "But after staying in this camp, I am still loud," she says loudly. "The only difference is that I am more ladylike."

"Before I was a tom-boy but now I walk properly, my posture is better and I sit properly," she says, perched precariously on the edge of her chair. "I am a better person. I believe they succeeded in changing me for the better."

A different kind of beauty

Well, one thing that the beauty pageant did succeed in doing was raising awareness of the plight of deaf people in Uganda.

One of the contestants, 20-year-old Aidat Nabukalu is profoundly deaf.

Aidat was voted the viewers' choice for Miss Uganda, endearing herself to her country with her courage to compete for the crown.

Barbara Kimbugwe and the first runner up Aidat Nabukalu

She went on to win the title of first runner-up - to the great delight of the audience.

The shouts, the screams and the standing ovation all went to show that Uganda knew who their new beauty queen was.

But the judges had the final say and the title went to 20-year-old Barbara Kimbugwe.

Before the contest started, Jessica Kyeyune, who had welcomed the girls and talked at great length about inner beauty, told me: "This is not just about beauty, you wait - the prettiest girl will not win tonight."

But despite Jessica's protestations, to me, it certainly looked as though the prettiest girl on the night did win.