Beauty queen to gun for Youth MP slot in Northern Uganda

Kotido, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Former Miss Tourism Uganda 2017 winner, Challa Elma Kapel, 27, has announced she will contest for elections to become youth MP Northern Uganda in the next general elections.

Kapel will run under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, and says she is confident the competitiveness and servitude that drove her in beauty pageantry, will help march into the world of politics.

“The beauty contests of my youth instilled a competitive spirit in me. After serving my tenure, as Miss Tourism Uganda, I developed skills which are necessary for political achievement. I believe the time to serve on a higher pedestal is now,” she said.

She said former Speaker of Parliament  Rebecca Kadaga inspired her.

“I did tree planting with the former speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rebecca Kadaga, which marked the beginning of the “Go Green Karamoja” project. She remarked to me that I had the hallmarks of a good leader and could in the future serve them in a bigger office,” she says.

Elma describes herself as a dynamic leader, youth advocate, and champion for economic empowerment, dedicated to driving tangible change.

“With a strong background in community development, entrepreneurship, tourism, and governance, I have committed my career to amplifying youth voices and creating sustainable opportunities for young people in Uganda,” she says.

She is currently pursuing a MSc in Global Logistics, Operations, and Supply Chain Management at Northumbria University, UK and says that growing up in one of Uganda’s least developed regions has given her a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing youth, particularly in Northern Uganda.

“My key focus areas include youth employment and entrepreneurship, where I will promote innovation and skill development to create sustainable job opportunities,” she says.

Her leadership journey includes the Miss Tourism Uganda 2017–2018, where she served as a national tourism ambassador, promoting Uganda’s rich cultural heritage and tourism sector on both local and international stages at just 19 years old.

She was also the country representative for the Ateker International Development Organisation (AIDO) and advocated for cultural preservation and community development among the Ateker people in the diaspora.

She also served as a Program Officer, International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Contributed to immigration and governance projects, focusing on youth inclusion in economic development.

Born in Kotido District, Uganda, Elma comes from a richly diverse background. Her father hails from Nakapelimoru, Kotido District, and her mother from Nakapiripirit, both in the Karamoja region.