By Our Reporter
The Ministry of Tourism is planning a big welcome for miss Uganda Quinn Abenakyo, who returns today (Wednesday) after a stunning performance that saw her finish in the top five at the 68th Miss World contest in China.
Abenakyo emerged 2nd runner up in a global contest which was won by Miss Mexico Vanessa Ponce de Leon. Abenakyo was declared Miss Africa thanks to a beautifully crafted Beauty with a Purpose presentation, in which she passionately shared her need to end teenage pregnancy.
In her presentation, Abenakyo fronted the use of food as a means of bringing together girls to find solutions to the high levels of teenage pregnancies in Uganda. According to the Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) 2016, 25 percent of adolescents aged 15-19 have begun childbearing while 19 percent of women age 15-19 have given birth.
The Deputy Executive Director of Uganda Tourism Board John Ssempebwa told journalists at Uganda Media Centre that Abenakyo will be received by the state Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi and later be hosted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House, Entebbe.
Although he did not divulge details, Ssempebwa said Abenakyo will be given a new role in the tourism sector.
Questioned about the alleged absence of government in programs involving Ugandans representing the country abroad, Ssempebwa said that the board had extended support to Abenakyo the moment they learnt about her travel to China for the contest.
He, however, made an outcry to private organizers of such engagements to always engage the government such that they can work together to sale Uganda to the rest of the world. He says, they only learnt of Abenakyo’s travel to China through the embassy after she had reached China.
Abenakyo’s passion for food and cooking and using it as a strategy to bring together people to cause change led her to the top five contestants, a level no Ugandan queen has attained.
