On Sunday, June 29, 2025, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni paid glowing tribute to the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, celebrating her 77th birthday as a milestone of faith, resilience, and national service.
Speaking at Migyera UWESO Secondary School in Nakasongola District, President Museveni hailed Maama Janet as “a resilient woman who has stood firmly through decades of personal sacrifice, leadership, and service to Uganda.” He commended her strength during the bush war, as she raised their children alone in exile.
“From 1981 to 1986, she was alone with the children in Nairobi and Sweden. I thank her for being a magnificent single parent,” he said, recalling that he last saw their daughter Diana at six months old and again when she was nearly seven.
The event featured the commissioning of a new classroom block and multipurpose hall at the school, a commemorative tree planting, and a thanksgiving celebration led by the Uganda Youth Forum. Pastor Patience Rwabwogo offered the opening prayer, and Pastor Laban Jjumba delivered a sermon.
The President recounted how Maama Janet founded UWESO to care for orphans and widows after the war, saying, “She started UWESO, and you have seen how much work she has done.”
He also shared the backstory of her political journey, initially resisting her bid to run in Ruhaama until elders intervened.
“She told me God had told her. I said, ‘But God has not told me.’” Eventually, he supported her. “She provided mature and clean leadership,” he said.
Contrasting her with opportunistic politicians, the President praised Maama Janet for ideological clarity and prayerful leadership.
“She brought stability to the Ministry of Education. She’s not corrupt, consults widely, and is committed to teamwork.”
On sports, he added humorously: “Maama is a distinguished athlete, although she can’t run 100 meters. But under her ministry, Uganda has won more medals than ever before. She prays, and the athletes win.”
He also lauded her as a homebuilder: “When it comes to the home, she does most of the work. I am just a cattle keeper.”
Reflecting on her early life, the President noted the loss of her father at age seven, her brother in a car accident, and her mother later on. “All those traumas to a young person were too much. But God saw her through.”
He concluded by thanking her for her integrity and backing her newly declared war on corruption. “I now support her war, which she declared on her 77th birthday. This is easy to deal with. We just need warriors in the right place.”
Maama Janet, in her address, described her life as a testimony of divine grace. “I must begin by thanking God for His amazing love and faithfulness to me all my life,” she said.
She expressed gratitude to President Museveni—her husband and a friend of 52 years—as well as their children, grandchildren, and Ugandans who have affectionately taken to calling her “Maama.”
Declaring “a new battle,” she launched a national crusade against corruption, likening it to a modern-day AIDS.“Just like we said NO to HIV/AIDS, we must say NO to corruption. We won’t just fight it—we’ll stop it in its tracks with God’s help.”
Drawing from Jeremiah 17:11, she warned against unjust gain and challenged the youth to lead with integrity, humility, and sexual purity. She reaffirmed her belief in the power of youth to transform Uganda.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa described her as “a national pillar of prayer, love, and inspiration,” thanking her for mentoring generations and supporting the President.
Mrs. Sheba Rukikaire, a close friend and former UWESO Executive Director, gave a moving tribute, highlighting decades of service—from youth mobilisation against HIV/AIDS to the empowerment of rural women. “You chose to serve when you could have rested,” Rukikaire said, referencing Matthew 25 and James 2. “God prepared you for this and enabled you to accomplish so much for this nation.”
The celebration was attended by ministers, MPs, religious leaders, UWESO partners, Uganda Youth Forum, and dignitaries from across the country.
