The Relentless Rise of Miss Tourism Rwenzori, Masika Rinah

At only 21, Masika Rinah popularly known in Rwenzori as 'Maska', the traditional pronunciation - is leading a quiet fire of a girl determined to rewrite her destiny.

Today, she reigns as Miss Tourism Rwenzori 2025, a title she carries with grace, purpose, and the steady discipline of someone who fought too hard to take anything for granted.

But behind the crown is a tale of detours, disappointments, self-discovery, and remarkable resurgence.

Born in Mubuku, Kasese district, home to the famous irrigation scheme - Masika grew up in a tight-knit family of four, the eldest of two children.

In the Rwenzori region, the name Masika is a birthright reserved for firstborn girls among the Bakonzo. Yet she often finds herself adjusting the pronunciation to “Masika,” a choice she laughs about despite the backlash it earns back home.

“It helps people know there is an ‘i’ in my name, she says with a smile. When I pronounce it the traditional way, they misspell it.”

Her childhood was grounded, wholesome, and held together by the consistency of both parents—alive, present, and supportive. It is a foundation she does not take lightly.

Masika proudly calls herself “a daughter of Rwenzori.”

Early School Life 

Masika attended Kasumba Primary School in Mubende, where she excelled and completed her Primary Leaving Examinations with 7aggregates. Her secondary journey was far from straightforward: she attended two schools for O-Level and two more for A-Level. But even through the constant movement, academic excellence remained a core part of her identity.

At St. Elizabeth Girls’ School, Mityana, she completed her UCE with 16 aggregates, stepping confidently into the next phase of her academic life.

That confidence would soon be tested.

Her parents envisioned a medical career for her, and with that pressure she found herself studying BCM (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics) at London College of St. Lawrence. It was a combination she never loved. The result was devastating: 9 points.

For many, those points would be a ticket to university. But for Masika, It was a moment that left her emotionally drained, wrestling with the idea of repeating a whole academic year while her peers joined university.

“It was one of the hardest points of my life,” she recalls. “I wanted to be a lawyer. I always knew that. And with 9 points, I couldn’t even sit the law pre-entry exam at Makerere.”

After a term of searching her soul, she made a bold decision: she would redo Senior Six.

Masika joined Christ the King Girls School, Matugga, where she enrolled for History, Entrepreneurship, Divinity, and ICT. Because she had lost an entire term, she was left with only six months to study what others cover in two years.

Her teachers noticed her determination—and rallied behind her.

“They gave me extra lessons, personal coaching… everything. And they didn’t ask for a single coin,” she says.

The gamble paid off.

She emerged with 20 points, straight A’s, Distinction 1 in General Paper and Distinction 2 in ICT. It was an almost unbelievable academic resurrection.

Finding Her Purpose 

Her results opened new doors, starting with the Equity Leaders Program, a prestigious internship for top students across Uganda. There, she learned financial literacy, credit management, and the realities of the employment world, skills rare for someone fresh out of S.6.

When her internship ended, she returned to Christ the King Girls School—not as a student, but as a tutor.

For two years, she taught A-Level students and watched many excel under her guidance, including two who scored 19 points. Despite not being a professional teacher, she was paid and valued as part of the academic team.

But with curriculum changes requiring far more time, she recently stepped back from tutoring.

“I don’t want to give students less than they deserve, If I can’t meet their needs, I’d rather step away.” she says 

Still, she believes she has already made an impact she will carry for life.

Gratitude and Growth

Reflecting on her journey, Masika speaks often about gratitude - gratitude for her family, her achievements, and the opportunities she has earned in just 21 years.

She has held leadership roles throughout her academic life: from head girl in primary school, to information prefect in O-Level, to education prefect at London College.

Her ascent in pageantry adds another layer: Miss Tourism Rwenzori 2025 and Miss Talent Rwenzori 2025, the latter earned through a powerful spoken word performance celebrating the people and heritage of Rwenzori.

The Law School Dream

Masika is now a second-year law student at Makerere University, admitted on government sponsorship — the very dream that once seemed impossible.

Law school is demanding, she admits, but when passion fuels purpose, challenges feel lighter.

She has already achieved more than many upper-class students:

• Semi-finalist in the Wildlife Moot Court Competition

• Ranked 28th best speaker in the Internal Moot Court Competition 

• Ranked 23rd out of 63 speakers in the Deakin International Commercial Arbitration Moot

• Holder of an e-certificate in International Commercial Arbitration from Leiden University

• Now part of the prestigious team preparing for the Vis Moot in Vienna, the world’s biggest arbitration moot

Through these competitions, she found her legal calling: international commercial arbitration, a field she hopes to pursue after law school.

But who is Masika, Really?

Ask her to describe herself, and she lights up.

“I’m ambitious. Jolly. I love people. I love the law so much,” she says.
She writes poetry, models occasionally, loves heels, chocolates, ice cream, yoghurt, and unexpectedly - milk.

She dislikes dishonesty, yelling, poor grooming, and chronic lateness. But she strives to stay accommodative, grounded, and kind.

Her values are simple: respect, neatness, humor, and mutual dignity.

Restoring Hope to School Dropouts

Founded in 2023 by Masika and her friend, Habai Daniel, BCO is driven by a simple but profound mission: bringing school dropouts back to class.

So far, they have supported at least 15 primary pupils, with four who have sat for PLE this year.

They provide school fees, books, pens, and essential scholastic materials to both returning dropouts and struggling pupils in UPE schools.

The joy for Masika comes from the transformation she witnesses.

“I love seeing the children smile,” she says. “Some are orphans; others have one parent who can’t sustain them in school. When they get a chance to learn again, they don’t waste it.”

“It’s mixed-gender support,” she emphasizes. “You cannot empower one and leave the other behind. An uneducated boy child can derail the dreams of an educated girl child. We uplift both.”

Pageantry: A Platform for Impact

Although she dabbled in pageantry during high school, becoming 2nd runner-up Miss Independence and 1st runner-up Miss Eloquence in 2018.. Masika had never contested on a major stage until 2025.

Her calling came unexpectedly through a wildlife moot competition, where her legal research on wildlife crime sparked a deep connection to conservation.

“That’s when I knew Miss Tourism was the pageant for me,” she recalls.

Former Miss Tourism Rwenzori, Queen Fortunate Muhindo, encouraged her further. The journey wasn’t easy—boot camp, voting pressure, emotional fatigue—but Masika endured.

Queen Rinah Masika after being crowned by Queen Fortunate Muhindo, Miss Tourism Rwenzori 2024

In July 2025, she was crowned Miss Tourism Rwenzori.

Since her coronation, Masika has embarked on several projects across the region:

A massive community cleaning exercise in one of Kasese’s busiest markets, conducted with university students from Kasese. Vendors and local leaders appreciated the effort, calling it a refreshing show of youth responsibility.

Under the mentorship of Mr. Amos Wekesa and tourism advocate Waswa Emma, she participated in and promoted the region’s biggest marathon.

The wildlife Concert for Young Learners, an initiative mobilizing students across the Rwenzori region to embrace conservation, an initiative under Africa Tourism and Environment Initiatives (ATEI)

Ekkula Sustainable Tourism Festival and Awards among others.

These experiences, she says, have affirmed her purpose: “Serving my community fulfills me. Every project reminds me why I wear this crown.”

The Legacy Project: Visit Rwenzori Expedition

Among all her initiatives, the one closest to her heart—and the one she hopes will outlive her reign—is the Visit Rwenzori Annual Expedition, launching next year.

It will run every year for two weeks, rallying Ugandans from across the country to explore the depths of Rwenzori beyond the familiar.

Unlike typical Explore campaigns, Masika promises a new flavour:

- Cultural immersion across the region’s 58 tribes

- Exposure to hidden sceneries, including little-known waterfalls

- Promotion of lesser-known tourist attractions beyond Kilembe Mines, Mountain Rwenzori, and Queen Elizabeth National Park

“There is so much that isn’t on the surface,” she says. “We want to reveal the soul of Rwenzori.”

When asked what makes Rwenzori truly special, Masika smiles deeply.

“It is home. It is beautiful. It is welcoming.”

What lies ahead?

In the next few years, Masika hopes to deepen her work in arbitration while continuing her passion for community empowerment. She is a peer educator with Reach a Hand Uganda, helping young people understand sexual reproductive health and make informed choices. She also hopes to depend her work in the Better Child Organisation, which supports children who drop out of school.

At every turn, she returns to her core motivation: to serve, to uplift, and to grow.