PICTORIAL: Ronah Kisakye redefining the meaning of a crown – Sqoop

A decade ago, Ronah Vivian Kisakye walked onto the pageantry stage hoping to make her mark as a beauty queen. Today, she is using that same platform to reshape what beauty pageantry means for a new generation of Ugandan women.

Having emerged as the First Runner-Up in the Miss Tourism Busoga 2015 pageant, Ronah believes the crown should never represent the peak of a woman’s journey. Instead, she sees it as the beginning of leadership, influence and service.

That belief inspired Queens Affair 2026, an empowerment platform she recently launched at Kampala Serena Hotel to help women transition from pageantry into leadership, entrepreneurship, creative industries and professional careers.

Bringing together beauty queens from across Uganda alongside entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, creatives and professionals, the event challenged the long-held perception that pageantry ends when the crown is handed over.

For Ronah, the platform reflects lessons drawn from her own experience.

“Queens Affair is about redefining what it means to wear a crown. The crown is not the destination; it is the beginning,” she said.

She believes many women leave pageantry with enormous potential but few opportunities to convert the visibility they gain into meaningful careers or lasting impact.

Through Queens Affair, she hopes to bridge that gap by creating spaces where women can build networks, develop leadership skills and gain access to mentorship that extends far beyond the pageant stage.

Held under the theme “Beyond the Crown: Women Thriving in Professional, Creative and Business Spaces,” the inaugural edition focused on equipping women with practical tools to thrive in different sectors while celebrating those already making a difference.

The gathering attracted influential voices from across the region, including Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E. Hon. Ababu Namwamba, who encouraged women to think beyond national borders and embrace regional partnerships as a pathway to growth and opportunity.

The discussions also featured Irene T. Kauma, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the First Lady and Ministry of Education and Sports, who challenged participants to pursue leadership driven by purpose rather than titles.

Leadership coach and entrepreneur Manuela P Mulondo urged attendees to identify their unique gifts and use them to positively influence society, reinforcing the evening’s message that lasting success comes from purpose rather than popularity.

Beyond keynote speeches, Queens Affair created opportunities for participants to exchange ideas through networking sessions, panel discussions and recognition awards celebrating women excelling in different fields.

One of the event’s defining moments was the unveiling of the Empower Her Initiative, a mentorship programme that Ronah says will nurture young girls and aspiring beauty queens into confident leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers.

Rather than remaining a one-off event, Queens Affair is intended to evolve into a year-round platform offering mentorship programmes, leadership forums, business masterclasses, personal branding workshops and strategic partnerships for women across Uganda and the wider East African region.

Ronah says the ambition is to create an ecosystem where women can continue growing long after pageantry, proving that the skills gained through competition can become foundations for successful careers and community leadership.

As pageantry continues to evolve globally, with increasing emphasis on advocacy, entrepreneurship and social impact, Ronah believes Uganda’s beauty queens should equally be equipped to influence boardrooms, businesses and communities—not just runways.

For her, the true value of a crown lies not in the title it confers but in the opportunities it creates to inspire others.

Through Queens Affair, Ronah Kisakye hopes to build a movement where women are remembered less for the crowns they wore and more for the lives they changed.