Prayers needed as Hannah Karema sets off, alone, to India for Miss World Pageant

Ms Kalema, set off this Saturday morning, for the the Indian capital New Delhi, one of the two cities to host the pageant.

She expects to arrive tomorrow, Sunday, in time for the opening event.

Contestants from 120 countries are taking part in this year’s contest which will be taking place in New Delhi and Mumbai.

This edition of Miss World is curated as a month-long festival.

The opening ceremony will be followed by various rounds, at venues like the Bharat Mandapam, ahead of the final evening on March 9, at Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre.

Kalema told the press ahead of her departure on Friday that she is travelling alone to India for the pageant, adding that she will later she will be joined by her sister and the CEO Miss Uganda, Brenda Nanyonjo.

The 24-year-old called for public support from Uganda if she is to stand any chance of winning.

“At Miss World, there are 120 countries and each contestant has support. So they want to see if your country values you that much. To give you that crown they want to see if your country is behind you,” she said.

“But if they see that there is no one behind you, then you don’t stand a chance.”

Kalema nonetheless said she feels ready, having fulfilled all the requirements for the pageant. She says she is very confident especially about her “Miss World With a Purpose” project which she submitted.

“But of course there are more things they are looking for and hopefully I have those as a person,” she said.