COMFORT KAINEMBABAZI ABOOKI is the newly crowned Miss Culture Uganda. She also holds the crown as the former Miss Bunyoro and stands as a student leader at Makerere University. She recently sat with Quick Talk to talk about the world of pageantry as she prepares to participate in Miss Culture International to be held in Indonesia. Please introduce yourself properly My name is Comfort Kainembabazi Abooki; I am a Munyoro by tribe, a student at Makerere University, a student leader, a friend, sister, and most importantly, a beauty queen. Congratulations on winning Miss Culture Uganda. Could you describe the feeling? It is that feeling of something you have worked so hard for, finally happening. It comes with a lot of emotion. I was happy; I initially didn’t expect to win, but I joined the pageant with hopes of winning and put in a lot of hard work, sleepless nights, ensuring that the dream I had as a little girl of one day becoming a beauty queen, comes to pass. Can you walk us through your journey from the moment you decided to apply to the final crowning?This was my second pageant. I am the former Miss Bunyoro 2025. After my reign, I felt ready for a national platform to push my advocacy on cultural diversity. I researched different pageants and found Miss Culture Uganda, which aligned with my goals. I applied, got nominated, and the journey started. We applied in early December, did online challenges, and later attended a one-week boot camp before the finale. It was challenging, because I had to balance school and preparation. I worked on some outfits myself. It was tiring and, at times, traumatizing. How did you manage to juggle it all? It wasn’t easy. I broke down emotionally many times, but I feel that whenever you want something in life, you won’t mind the pressure you’re under right now, but rather the goal you’re aiming for: family, friends, most importantly, God, kept me pushing, and I was able to maneouvre through the thick of it. So, what was going through your mind when they announced the winner? I was sure I would make the top three [okay…some rare confidence for pageants!] When we reached the final session and they announced the second runner-up, and it wasn’t me, I thought, okay, I must be the first runner-up, because I had really tried to put up a good presentation. Then they announced the first runner-up, and it still wasn’t me, so I was like, okay, now it is me. Earlier, the judge had even asked the audience who they thought would win, and everyone was screaming my name and my contestant number, so there was hope that if I wasn’t the first runner-up, I was the winner. How did you end up in the world of pageants? My mum used to call me a princess when I was young, and one time while seated watching nominations for Miss Uganda, I asked myself what it took to contest; I felt I had the qualities and could compete and win so, I started following up and doing research. When my uncle came back home, I told him I wanted to contest for Miss Uganda and he asked if I would win and why all of a sudden, but I told him I believed I could compete and win the crown; I then shared this ambition with my aunt, Sharon Kobusingye, a journalist with Kabalega Radio in Hoima, who advised me to start small and build, which is how I landed on Miss Bunyoro. However, after researching past pageants, I realized I was not ready at all, so I dedicated a full year to preparing: studying Bunyoro culture, former kings, and pageant expectations and by the time I returned to compete, I knew I was ready, especially for the question-and-answer part. Growing up, what was life like for you? I grew up with my maternal family, mainly my grandmother, but I became very close to my mum around Primary Four. That bond was incredibly strong, and her presence in my life shaped me deeply. Sadly, she passed away in an accident just one week before my PLE exams [Quick Talk expresses his condolences], which was a traumatizing moment in my childhood. That closeness and loss gave me purpose I decided to dedicate everything I do to her memory, and it drives me to succeed, no matter the challenges. Please walk Quick Talk through your education journeyI went to Light College Katikamu, where I began developing discipline and foundational skills. Later, for A-Level, I joined St. Kizito Namugongo, taking History, Literature, and Divinity. It was at St. Kizito that the leadership aspect of my journey began to take shape, as I became more involved in mentoring peers, organizing activities, and understanding the importance of guiding others. At Makerere University, I am currently studying Library and Information Science. I continue to build on this leadership foundation. I serve as the Female Guild Representative Councilor and as Minister for Gender, where I focus on mentorship, advocacy, and promoting gender equality. These roles have allowed me to refine my leadership skills, engage with diverse groups, and actively contribute to shaping the next generation of leaders, all while pursuing my academic and personal ambitions. Nice! Having won this crown, do you see yourself winning a much bigger prize in the world of beauty pageantry? I would say I have political ambitions, and while I plan to continue my journey with Miss Culture Uganda, I also hope to make an impact through leadership at the national level; I won’t reveal all the details now, but I do have ambitions on that scale. What do you love about Uganda? I love the diversity of cultures. Uganda has about 56 tribes, each unique, and that diversity makes us beautiful and interesting. How will you promote Uganda? By representing Uganda on international platforms. I also want to focus on digital preservation of culture; recording stories, riddles, and traditions and sharing them on platforms like TikTok and podcasts, so Gen Zs can engage with them. What do you do for fun? I love watching movies, attending mentorship programs, and listening to music. I also enjoy meeting new people. Who inspires you? There are a lot of people I look up to, but I am inspired by the [former] president of Liberia Sirleaf Ellen Johnson who used her position of leadership to support women advocacy. And in the world of pageantry I am inspired by Hannah Karema the former Miss Uganda 2023 to 2024. What advice do you give to those who look up to you? Don’t underestimate starting small. Your background doesn’t define your future. Pray, protect your integrity, and invest in your mind. With consistency, the world will notice you. ebenezernsubuga405@gmail.comThe post Comfort Kainembabazi; the beauty queen with political ambitions appeared first on The Observer.