In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that the Miss Tourism project, once intended to promote domestic tourism under the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, has been embroiled in allegations of corruption and mismanagement.


The project, which was revived in 2013 by Moses Zikusooka and endorsed by the late Hon Maria Mutagamba, took a dark turn when Mutagamba allegedly manipulated her position to favor her version of Miss Tourism.

According to the source who preferred anonymity notes that the revival of Miss Tourism Uganda in 2013 by Moses Zikusooka was initially intended to be a government project under the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, with the late Hon Maria Mutagamba championing its cause.

However, midway through the project, allegations surfaced that Mutagamba, along with her daughter Marrienne Naava Mary, allegedly re-registered the project under a new name, “Miss Tourism Uganda-Pearl of Africa,” using her position to sideline and intimidate those involved in the original initiative.

The source alleges that Mutagamba’s actions led to the frustration and withdrawal of those who had initially registered the project, effectively giving her control over Miss Tourism Uganda.

Furthermore, it is claimed that Mutagamba encouraged the formation of 12 regional clusters under MTU, using her influence to secure government support and funding for her own version of the project.

Despite efforts to alert ministry officials, including the then Permanent Secretary and Uganda Tourism Board CEO, Stephen Assimwe, complaints of mismanagement and financial irregularities persisted. Tragically, two contestants reportedly lost their lives due to accidents linked to the misuse of project funds.

The situation reportedly worsened after Mutagamba was replaced as minister, with subsequent leadership opting not to engage with MTU due to ongoing concerns.

“The situation worsened when Mutagamba was removed from office, and subsequent attempts by the Ministry to fund cluster events were met with resistance from Miss Tourism Uganda-Pearl of Africa.”

Recent developments suggest that MTU, still under Mutagamba’s influence, has allegedly resorted to dubious tactics to maintain control, including registering regional clusters under new names and replacing original cluster heads with former queens aligned with MTU’s interests.

The fallout from these actions has led to a loss of trust and support from tourism stakeholders, with sponsors withdrawing their backing and concerns mounting over the project’s transparency and accountability.

“Recently, Miss Tourism Uganda-Pearl of Africa, now controlled by the Mutagamba family, has resorted to deceptive tactics, including registering unaffiliated cluster names and sidelining original regional cluster heads, to maintain control over regional events. This has led to loss of sponsorship and disillusionment among tourism stakeholders.” Notes the source.

Despite efforts by the Ministry of Tourism to support grassroots clusters, MTU-PA’s alleged interference and manipulation have hindered progress and undermined the project’s objectives.