Exclusive: Mitchelle Daka On Becoming Uganda’s First-Ever Miss Universe

In this exclusive interview, Mitchelle Daka, Uganda’s first-ever Miss Universe, opens up about what it means for her to be crowned her country’s first-ever Miss Universe and why she’d use her platform and access for important courses in her country through fashion, advocacy platforms, and podcasting.

Enjoy the exclusive conversation below!

Photo Credit: Mitchelle Daka/Instagram

Congratulations on making history as Uganda’s first-ever Miss Universe! How has it felt since that moment?

Honestly, I was in complete shock. I felt overwhelmed and incredibly honoured. The competition was incredibly strong, and every single girl was amazing, so I knew it could have gone in so many different directions. To be the one standing there with the crown was surreal.

But more than anything, I felt a tremendous sense of responsibility because I understand what this means for my country. I am the face of Uganda. I am Ugandan. I represent what people may not always see when they look at my country, and I carry the stories, hopes and spirit of the people who call Uganda home.

That responsibility is something I don’t take lightly.

Tell us about a moment with the other finalists like Kimberly that really stuck with you

Kimberly and I had a moment around pre-judging that really stayed with me. My roommate had locked me out of our room, and I didn’t have the card, so I went upstairs to Kimberly’s room because we were staying in the same villa. I made myself comfortable, sat on the bed and plugged my phone in to charge. Faith was there, Kimberly was there, and Shiba was sitting beside me.

At some point, Kimberly and I started talking, and I said to her, “I think if I wasn’t rooting for myself, I’d be rooting for you.”

I genuinely think she is one of the sweetest people in the world. I think the world is not ready for everything that is coming with her. I feel honoured to have met someone as special as she is, and I think her favour is evident in the way the world has received her. When she is ready, she will do incredible things.

What’s important is that we all know how much we dedicated ourselves to this journey. That is something we have in common, and more than anything, I don’t want anyone to pit us against one another. That moment stayed with me because even in the middle of a competition, I could look at someone else’s light and celebrate it. Her light doesn’t diminish mine.

Photo Credit: Mitchelle Daka/Instagram

Your mental health advocacy is closely tied to the loss of your close friend, Karabo Mokoena, and the foundation you co-founded in her name. How has that work with shelters and survivors shaped the message you now want to carry as Miss Universe Uganda?

When my best friend died, we were in so much pain because of the life we had lost. We naturally looked for ways to stay close to her, and carrying forward the things she was passionate about became one of those ways.

She was an incredibly passionate person. She stood for everything she believed in with such conviction. At the time, continuing that work helped us feel connected to her, but it also became my introduction to public work, legacy and creating impact. I remember sitting at her funeral and thinking, “Wow, this girl left something behind.” She was young, but she made sure that every person she interacted with felt her presence. That’s why her loss was so profound to so many people.

I decided to take that feeling of purpose and extend it further for both of us. My advocacy isn’t necessarily about her loss. If it were, I would probably be focusing specifically on gender-based violence. It’s more about what that experience taught me and how it changed me.

I want to teach young people the tools they need to navigate life, because one of the certainties of life is that you will experience disappointment and moments when things don’t go your way. Sometimes it’s about having the tools to get yourself out of bed, the discipline to show up for yourself, to exercise, to pursue your goals and to remain consistent. Those everyday actions can play an important role in how we care for our mental and emotional wellbeing.

Those are the tools I want to help young people in my country develop.

Photo Credit: Mitchelle Daka/Instagram

You host a podcast on emotional wellbeing. What made you want to build that platform?

I always think about how emotional wellbeing has become such an important conversation among young people, but I don’t want to have that conversation in a cliché way. We know that many people go to therapy and have been on their healing journeys for years. Sometimes you can talk about something repeatedly and, instead of feeling smaller, the problem can feel even bigger.

One thing I’ve learned over time is that healing also happens through action. You acknowledge what you’re feeling, but then you also have to get up and do things. You go to the gym. You build discipline. You act on the dreams you said you were going to pursue. You show up even when you don’t feel like it. You remain consistent.

That is what I want my podcast to highlight—the heart behind that belief. I believe one of the ways we move beyond painful memories is by creating new experiences, new moments and better memories.

You also founded Figures The Brand, a sustainable activewear line. Sustainable fashion is still a hard sell in a lot of African markets. What challenges did you run into building it, and how has the business held up in a tough economy?

One of the things I was very intentional about was sourcing the right fabrics. I travelled to China myself and made sure I visited a supplier specialising in Oeko-Tex-certified materials, because women’s health and the quality of what we put on our bodies are important to me.

For me, sustainability is part of a much bigger conversation. I’m not necessarily trying to sell sustainability as a label. I’m selling high-fashion activewear that makes women feel good while also being intentional about the materials we use. I felt that activewear had become extremely generic, and I wanted to bring something more exciting to the market—something that takes us back to the ’80s and ’90s, when fashion felt playful and expressive.

One of the biggest challenges was realising just how much of a team I needed. It might not look like it from the outside, but almost everything on my business page has been run by me. I curate the shoots, work on the designs, source influencers and oversee the brand. From the beginning, I was building with an international market in mind.

Lately, though, I’ve started to recognise an opportunity in African markets for that same product. I believe people across Africa are looking for quality products, and if I have the capacity to provide women with products that are stylish, well-made and thoughtfully produced, that is something I want to pursue.

One of my goals is to eventually open a store in Uganda.

You hold a degree in Business Administration and have spent a decade modelling across Africa and beyond. How has that international experience shaped how you plan to represent Uganda in Puerto Rico?

After a decade in the fashion industry, working with brands and publications such as Dior, Ivy Park, Chanel, Fendi, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, I’ve built a level of access that I never fully understood how to use for a greater purpose. That access has taught me what people in these international spaces are looking for, how these industries operate and how global conversations are shaped.

Now I have an opportunity to use that access to spotlight Uganda in a much stronger way. I want to use this platform to create greater access for Uganda—to put my country on the global stage and have us recognised not only for our fashion and creative talent, but also for the heart, resilience and spirit of our people.

I hope I can take everything I’ve learned over the last decade, the relationships I’ve built and the access I’ve been given, and use all of it to leave a meaningful mark for my country.

What should Uganda expect from you as November approaches?

I’m genuinely excited for everyone to see what’s in store. We have some major plans, and we’re working very intentionally behind the scenes to make sure Uganda is represented at the highest possible level.

One thing I can say with confidence is that Uganda will be remembered this year, and Black girls will be remembered once again.

I’m so excited to make everyone proud. We’re doing everything we can to put ourselves in a position that showcases the talent, creativity, heart and spirit of where I come from. A lot is happening behind the scenes, and I’m incredibly excited to see how everything comes together.

Most importantly, I want to make Uganda proud.

Photo Credit: Mitchelle Daka/Instagram

If you had one message for young Ugandan girls reading this, what would it be?

The race is not won by the fastest runner, but by the most consistent one over time—over months and over years. Slow and steady does it.

I’ve been speaking about this a lot because, in this virality-focused generation, I think we sometimes forget the value of consistency, dedication, commitment and doing something you genuinely love. Eventually, it pays off—even when nobody is clapping for you, and nobody is watching. You’re going to feel proud of your life when you look back and realise you did everything you said you would do. That accountability to yourself is so important. You have to become a person who does what she says she will do.

That is also how you create opportunities for yourself. You keep showing up, you keep doing the work, and eventually the world has no choice but to notice.

Photo Credit: Mitchelle Daka/Instagram

Between the brand, the podcast, the foundation work and now this crown, you’re carrying a lot at once. How do you personally stay grounded through it all?

Honestly, I think I have too much to do to coast.

There is always something to build, something to work towards and a goal in front of me. I’m very intentional about staying focused on the work that needs to be done.

The gym keeps me grounded. I surround myself with people who motivate me and bring out the best in me, and the dream itself fuels me. Anything that moves me closer to the things I’ve envisioned for my life makes me happy.

My faith is also a big part of that. I’m a firm believer in manifestation and in trusting that things happen at the right place and at the right time. This is a moment I’ve dreamed about for a very long time, and now that we’re here, I feel even more intentional about what I do with it. For me, staying grounded is about remembering my why, staying focused and doing the work.

Thank you for your time, Mitchelle

Thank you for having me.